















































































































































































































Book__ 

Gpiglit N° - ' s- 


COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 


GPO 








I 








The World Program 

According to the 

Holy Scriptures 


“And He laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, 
which is the Devil and Satan, and hound him a 
thousand years . . . that he should deceive the 

nations no more, till the thousand years should be 
fulfilled: after that he must be loosed a little sea¬ 
son’' —Rev. 20:2, 3. * 


By 

REV. ALEXANDER HARDIE, A.M. 

n 

Methodist Episcopal Church 
of the 

Southern California Conference 


Los Angeles, Cal. 

The TIMES-MIRROR Press 
1923 




Copyrighted, 1923, by 
Alexander Hardie 
Los Angeles, California 

Third Edition 


ransferred from 

Capynght Gfflca 

AUG 31 'fc 


FEB 20 ’24 



To My Dear Sainted Father, 

REV. DAVID HARDIE, 

Who was born in the year 1799, 

Who preached the Gospel for over half a century, 

Who read aright the hopeful signs of his times, 

Who rejoiced to see the dawning of Millennial Glory, and 

Who during his long and useful life witnessed the origin 
and development of nearly all the moral and religious move¬ 
ments herein mentioned— 

This pamphlet is most affectionately dedicated. 


Alexander Hardie. 


EXPLANATIONS 


APOCALYPSE—Means disclosure or revelation. 

CHILIAST—A believer in the personal reign of Christ on 
earth for 1000 years. 

ESCHATOLOGY—“The doctrine of the last or final things, 
as death, judgment, and the events therewith connected.” 

MILLENNIUM—A happy period of 1000 years. 

PREMILLENARIAN or PREMILLENNIALIST—A per¬ 
son that believes Christ will come before the Millennium. 

POSTMILLENARIAN or POSTMILLENNIALIST — A 
person that believes Christ will not come till after the 
Millennium. 

PAROUSIA—Presence or Coming of Christ. 

“For if that which is done away [the Mosaic Dispensa¬ 
tion] was glorious, much more that which remaineth [the 

Christian Dispensation] is glorious.”—2 Cor. 3:11. 


PREFACE 


There is a constant need for the church to be on its 
guard against Premillennial excitements; for at every crisis 
in human affairs, there springs up the perennial crop of per¬ 
sons who think they understand Daniel and Revelation, and 
pretend to have a knowledge of the signs of the times. These 
dear people become “wise above what is written.” Mr. 
Wesley was not led astray by hasty predictions. This can 
be proved by quotations from his Notes on the New Testa¬ 
ment, examples of which will be found at the end of this 
book. Also, General Booth kept the Salvation Army from 
falling into this delusion. It is a sad fact that some 
evangelists have been deceived by Premillennialism. There is 
a reason for this weakness of evangelists. For preaching on 
the end of the world, or on the Second Coming of Christ, 
generally causes excitement and brings people out to hear the 
preacher. Also, conversions will take place and the meetings 
are successful. But afterward when the people realize that 
the preacher was a false alarmist, there comes a serious re¬ 
action. Satan surely snares many evangelists by this 
quick method of getting up a revival. That preachers and 
churches may be saved any such disastrous humiliation, this 
book has been written. It is hoped that the angel may soon 
bind Satan, that the Lord may soon pour out His Holy Spirit 
upon mankind, and that the Kingdom of Heaven may soon 
be established in all the earth. 

Alexander Hardie. 

1194 W. 30th Street, 

Los Angeles, California. 







CONTENTS 

PART I 


The Coming of the Lord 

page 

Introduction . 13 

Temporal Kingdom Notions. 14 

Premillennialism Ignores the Gospel 

Premillennialism Produces Pessimism. 17 

Creeds and Rituals. 18 

Apostles’ Creed, Westminster Confession, Method¬ 
ist Discipline, etc. 

Bishop Hurst in his History of the Christian Church 
Schaff in his History of the Christian Church 

The Mystical Presence of Christ . 25 

Mi ley 

This is the Dispensation of the Holy Spirit. 28 

Christ’s Spiritual Coming at Pentecost, etc. 

His Final Coming at End of the World 

The Ascension of Our Blessed Lord . 30 

Acts 1:9-ll and Acts 3:21, 22 

At Present Christ is Our Intercessor in Heaven. . . 32 
Rom. 8:34 and Rev. 5:6, 8, 12, 13 

The Injurious Results of Premillennialism . 35 

Excitement at Thessalonica 

The Years 999 and 1000. 36 

The Reformation and Second Advent 
Fifth Monarchy Men 
The London Plague 
MacKay’s Popular Delusions 

The Millerite Excitement. 40 

• • 

Vll 












PAGE 

Rev. Henry Lanton and Rev. J. M. Hagar, A. M... 42 


Eggleston’s “End of the World”. 43 

Rev. F. M. Larkin, Ph.D., Editor. 45 


^ PART II 

Foreword 

The Dream of Nebuchadnezzar. 

The Wise Men Could not Give the Dream 
Daniel Described the Image and Gave the Dream 
Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome 

The Kingdom of God. 

The Miraculous Stone 

The Purpose of the Wonderful Dream 

Vision of the Four Ancient Monarchies. 

Daniel a Real Person 

Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome 

The Apostate Kingdom. 

The Little Horn— 50,000,000 Martyrs 
The Latern Council in May, 1514 
The Setting up of the Kingdom of God. 


49 


54 

60 

70 

74 


„ PART III 

Foreword 

Christ, Speaking of His Kingdom, Shows the Place 

of His Advent . 77 

Kingdom Passages in Matt., Mark, Luke and John. 79 
Our Lord in Parables Describes His Kingdom as 

Present. 98 

The Sower, Mustard Seed, Leaven, Hid Treasure, etc. 
These Parables Describe this Dispensation 
The Thessalonian References to the Second 

Coming .113 

Thessalonica 

The Purpose of the Epistles. 114 

Passages that Mention the Coming 


Vlll 













PAGE 


The Meeting and Waiting in the Air.117 

When Christ Comes He Will Take us to Heaven 

To Paul the Coming Proved Christ’s Deity.120 

Mythological Incarnations .121 

Paul Severely Rebukes the Thessalonians 


The Papacy Will Run its Course before the Advent. 125 
Conclusion 


~ PART IV 

F OREWORD 

The Apocalypse—World Program of our Blessed 

Lord .129 

Preliminary Statements of our Lord 
Their First Question—When Shall these 

Things Be?.133 

The Destruction of City and Temple 
He Warns against Deceivers 

Persecution—68,500,000 Martyrs.135 

False Prophets Denounced; Conversion of the 
Gentiles 

Daniel’s Prophecy 

Signs in Heaven over Jerusalem—Josephus.138 

More Warnings about False Prophets 
The Second Question—When Will the Lord 

Return? .142 

The Saviour’s Statements about His World Pro¬ 
gram 

The One General Resurrection.146 

The Third Question—When Will the End of 

the World Come?.147 

Again the Master Refers to Jerusalem 
No Man Knows the Time of His Coming 

Separation, Exhortation, General Judgment.151 

Conclusion .152 


IX 














PARTY 


Foreword 

An Explanation of the 20th Chapter of page 

Revelation .157 

An Angel—not Christ—Appears 

The Arrest and Incarceration of the Devil.159 

The 1000-year Period, Universal Triumph, Golden 

Age .162 

No Failure 

The Little Season .164 

Is the World Growing Worse? 

“Uneasy Lies the Head that Wears a Crown” 

Ultimate Success of Christianity.166 

Second Advent not Near 


The Thrones and the Judges, the Souls of the 
Martyrs 

The Martyrs Live and Reign—Are Reigning.169 

The Rest of the Dead Lived not Again.172 

The First Resurrection—Christ our King.173 

Satan Loosed, the Arch Deceiver, Gog and Magog. .177 
The Punishment of the Wicked, the False Prophet 

The Second Advent of Christ.182 

The General Resurrection, the Meeting in the Air. .183 
The Disappearance of the Earth, the Final Judg¬ 
ment .185 

The Divine Order of the Final Great Events.188 

Conclusion .189 


„ PART VI 

Foreword 

The Signs of the Times. The Progress of 

Christianity .193 

The Christian Colleges. Science Becoming Reverent 
The Sunday School, Christian Organizations 















PAGE 

Bible Societies .198 

The British and Foreign Bible Society 

The American, the Hibernian, the National Bible 

Society of Scotland.199 

The Y. M. C. A. The Salvation Army 
The Women's Missionary Societies of the M. E. 

Church .206 

The Foreign Society, The Home Society 
The General Missionary Society 

Japan, Korea, China, India, Africa.209 

Young People’s Societies.215 

The Late World War .217 

Germany, Austria, Turkey 

The British Empire, The United States of America.220 
France, Italy 

The Stupendous Triumph of the Allies.222 

Prohibition .223 

Woman Suffrage.225 

Growth of the Methodist Episcopal Church.228 

The Centenary Movement .230 

The Opinion of Church Leaders 
Conclusion 

Mr. Wesley was a Postmillennialist.235 

Let Christians Rejoice—The World their Inheritance 
“The World for Christ in this Generation” 

Conquering Christianity.239 


XI 















PART I 


The Coming of The Lord 


INTRODUCTION 

Our Premillennial brethren have great zeal and are con¬ 
stantly reminding Christians of that glorious event, the 
Saviour’s Return. Now, we all believe in the Second Com¬ 
ing ; but the question is, whether it will precede or follow the 
Millennium? The reader’s patient and prayerful considera¬ 
tion is requested while reasons are presented for believing 
that the Gospel will give the world about a thousand years 
of peace and righteousness, and that then the Saviour will 
return amid the stupendous closing scenes of human history. 

It is well to know that, in some of its phases, this subject 
was discussed in ancient times. When the Saviour made 
His First Advent, many of the Jews were expecting a 
temporal kingdom—expecting a Messiah that would break 
the Roman yoke, establish a strange imperialism at Jeru¬ 
salem, and make the Holy City the capital of a world empire. 
Was not Salome, the mother of James and John, affected 
with such earthly ambitions, when she made this request? 
“Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy 
right hand, and the other on thy left, in thy kingdom.”— 
Matt. 20:21. The disciples likewise were worldly minded 
even amid the solemnities of the Last Supper, and fell into a 
contention about precedence in the expected kingdom: “And 
there was also a strife among them, which of them should 
be accounted the greatest.”—Luke 22:24. 

There is no special cause for wonder, then, if similar 
worldly notions, concerning the Kingdom of God, should 
appear occasionally in this Dispensation. Indeed, through 
the centuries this love of display, this “leaven of the Phari¬ 
sees,” has afflicted some very sincere people. 



14 


The World Program 


Trusting that the Holy Spirit may guide us “into all 
truth,” the following reasons are given to show that the 
Millennium will precede the Coming of our Blessed Lord. 

TEMPORAL KINGDOM NOTIONS 

Premillennialism for nearly 2000 years, has been pro¬ 
ducing an unapostolic succession of prophets, who have 
troubled the Church with wrong interpretations of Daniel 
and Revelation. These temporal-kingdom followers hindered 
the Saviour in His ministry." “When Jesus therefore per¬ 
ceived that they would come and take Him by force, to 
make Him a King, He departed again into a mountain Him¬ 
self alone.”—Jno. 6:15. Yet our Lord, in preaching to His 
disciples and the people, constantly endeavored to lift their 
thoughts from material to spiritual conceptions of His mis¬ 
sion. “And when He was demanded of the Pharisees when 
the kingdom of God should come, He answered them and 
said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 
neither shall they say, Lo here! or lo there! for, behold, the 
kingdom of God is within you.”—Luke 17:20, 21. Again, 
listen to the Saviour’s answer to Pilate: “My Kingdom is not 
of this world: if my Kingdom were of this world, then would 
my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews; 
but now is my Kingdom not from hence.”—Jno. 18:36. 
Why were people so slow to perceive the purely spiritual 
nature of Messiah’s First Advent ? Why do men today not 
understand the Scriptures—not understand that Christianity 
is a divine force, and that the Kingdom of God will be 
established in the earth “not by might nor by power, but by 
my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts”?—Zech. 4:6. There¬ 
fore, be not deceived, look not for an immediate Appearing 
—for imposing displays of a visible Presence of Deity on 
earth. But pray for the chaining of Satan and for gracious 
outpourings of the Holy Spirit upon all mankind, since this 
is the Dispensation of the Comforter. 

PREMILLENNIALISM IGNORES THE GOSPEL 

Premillennialism, to a large extent, ignores the glorious 
Gospel of the grace of God—regards it as insufficient for 
the conversion of the world. 


The Coming of the Lord 


15 


After all, are the destructive critics right? Is our Bible 
unreliable—only the product of impersonators and plagia¬ 
rists? Have we really no “Word of God”? Or is this 
Wonderful Book the inspired Revelation of the Most High? 
We most sincerely believe that “Holy men of God spake as 
they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”—2 Peter 1:21. 
Verily, the prophets and the apostles enjoyed such plenary 
inspiration as enabled them to transmit to man divine truth 
without error or mistake. Therefore this Holy Volume, 
in the originals, was exactly as God intended that man should 
have His Word. This is the divine message of wisdom and 
love from our Heavenly Father to His erring children of 
earth, and it does contain the very expressions of the 
Almighty, when they are needed for a perfect understand¬ 
ing of His Will. This Revelation was given for the mental, 
moral, and spiritual illumination of the human family, and 
manifests the covenant keeping Jehovah to the full measure 
of our receptive capacity. The Church has always regarded 
the Sacred Writings as a sufficient rule for faith and practice. 
But according to ill-informed teachers, this “Law of the 
Lord is” not “perfect” and is not sufficient for “converting 
the soul”—for converting the world—but must be superseded 
by strange phenomena in the heavens and by visible manifes¬ 
tations of supernatural power. No, indeed! This is the 
finished and completed Word of the Supreme Being, and is 
the divinely prepared and provided Manual of Instruction 
for all nations and ages to the end of time. For this is “the 
Word of God, which livetli and abideth forever.”—1 Peter 
1:23. Hear the Saviour’s statement: “Heaven and earth 
shall pass away, but My Words shall not pass away.”—Matt. 
24:35. Rest assured that these “Lively Oracles” of God, 
to the last days of the Millennium, will be the final and 
sufficient authority in all matters of religion. This super¬ 
natural Book is fully adequate to world-wide evangelism. 

Then, what more could our Heavenly Father do for our 
salvation than bestow upon mankind the “Unspeakable Gift” 
of His Well-beloved Son! Have these Premillennialists any 
better atonement than that which is provided in our infinitely 
glorious Redeemer’s Blood ? He made on the Cross “by his 
oblation of Himself once offered, a full, perfect, and sufficient 


16 


The World Program 


sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for the sins of the whole 
world.” Thus Christ is able and is “mighty to save” all that 
come unto God by Him. There is no intimation of failure to 
reach and regenerate the nations, in the promise of the 
Father: “Ask of Me, and I will give thee the heathen for 
thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for 
thy possession.”—Ps. 2 :8. John the Baptist had a true vision 
when he announced: “Behold the Lamb of God who taketh 
away the sin of the world.”—Jno. 1:29. Further, Jesus 
Himself did not entertain thoughts of failure: “And I, if 
I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”— 
Jno. 12:32. It is only through the precious blood of the 
Lamb of God that the heart of man is changed and cleansed. 
Overwhelming manifestations of Deity are not in the plan of 
salvation. For by no means will the Lord compel men to 
serve Him. He does respect, and He always will respect, 
the freedom of personality—human or angelic. Therefore, 
the apostles preached Christ and Him crucified; but these 
self-sent messengers predict apparitions, celestial commotions, 
and an enthroned Ruler. Paul had no such world-awing 
notions about the thousand-year period. He distinctly states : 
“For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but right¬ 
eousness, and peace, a.nd joy in the Holy Ghost.”—Rom. 
14:17. But men in their ignorance belittle the atonement, 
and forget that Christ is “the way, the truth, and the life,” 
and that no man can come unto the Father, but by Him—by 
Him as “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” 

Moreover, Premillennialists virtually ignore the Holy 
Spirit, who has been sent to convict sinners, regenerate 
penitents, and sanctify believers, and who, possessing infinite 
power, wisdom, and love, is infinitely competent for his 
blessed work of transforming sinners into saints. Further¬ 
more, the Spirit dwells in the children of God, enlightening 
their minds, ennobling their characters, making them par¬ 
takers of the Divine Nature, and consecrating their very 
bodies as the temples of His glorious Presence. What other 
influences, in any realm could supersede these gracious 
ministries of the Third Person of the Holy Trinity ? These 
pessimistic preachers must be the successors of those blind 
unbelievers, who, though standing in the Presence of the 


The Coming of the Lord 


17 


Lord of life and glory, saw Him not and heard Him not; 
and who, though living in the midst of His wonderful works 
of mercy and miracles of grace, yet asked the Saviour for 
signs and wonders. Ancient Israel murmured against the 
Heaven-sent manna, and lusted after the flesh-pots of 
Egypt, and these modern defamers of the Church of God 
are not satisfied with the simple and beautiful Gospel—they 
must have something spectacular, portentous, and physically 
powerful. Paul was troubled with these carnally-minded 
people and said: “But we preach Christ crucified, unto 
the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness.” 
—1 Cor. 1:23. Let us never forsake the Gospel plan of 
salvation for visionary delusions. 

PREMILLENNIALISM PRODUCES PESSIMISM 

The doleful dirges of the typical predictor of the speedy 
end of the world, are enough to make one as gloomy as a 
soulless agnostic. These mistaken heralds often charge the 
Churches with deadness and hypocrisy, asserting that the 
world is getting worse and worse, oft lamenting about failure 
of the Gospel. They are blind to good, keen-sighted to 
evil, and lack faith in Christianity. All this tends to destroy 
true missionary zeal. Of course, if the atonement in Christ 
is a failure, what is the use in trying to evangelize the 
heathen ? Most certainly the defamers of the Gospel spread 
dismay in the ranks of the Church Militant and hinder the 
extension of the Redeemer’s Kingdom. These pious pes¬ 
simists are most dangerous enemies to the Church. But 
listen while the evangelical Isaiah proclaims his optimism: 
“And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to 
Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they 
shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall 
flee away.”—Is. 35:10. Let infidels prate about “dying 
religion,” but intelligent Christians believe that the white 
horse with his crowned and armed Rider, going “forth con¬ 
quering and to conquer,” is a beautiful and true symbol of 
our Holy Christianity, which is conquering, and is destined 
to conquer, the world in the name of the once crucified, but 
now glorified Redeemer. 


CREEDS AND RITUALS 


The doctrines of Premillenarianism are conspicuous by 
their absence from the great creeds of Christendom. 

In the Apostles’ Creed, which had its origin in the days 
of primitive Christianity, are these statements: “From 
thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead,” “I 
believe in the resurrection of the body.” 

The Nicene Creed, which was formulated in 325 A.D., 
declares: “And He shall come again with glory to judge 
the quick and the dead.” “I look for the resurrection of the 
dead and the life of the world to come.” 

The Athanasian Creed, which is placed in the fifth 
century, contains the following: “From whence He shall 
come to judge the quick and the dead. At whose coming 
all men shall rise again with their bodies; and shall give 
account for their own works. And they that have done good 
shall go into life everlasting, and they that have done evil into 
everlasting fire.” 

It is highly significant that these three great Christian 
Creeds contain no premillennial clauses; while, on the other 
hand, they do most unmistakably favor the postmillennial 
view. Dr. Wm. B. Pope affirms that Millenarianism was 
“by no means at any time the faith of the church, as is 
proved by its absence from all the Early Creeds.” He 
further states that “the doctrine of a premillennial coming 
of Christ was excluded from every form of Early Creeds, 
the key note of all these being, from thence He shall come to 
judge the quick and the dead ” From these facts it is fair 
to conclude that whatever unwarranted speculations on the 
Parousia may have occurred, they never disturbed the theo¬ 
logical thinkings of primitive Christianity on eschatology. 

Furthermore, in addition to these creeds, the Christian 
world possesses six pre-eminently valuable documents— 
documents that really give a consensus of the faith of the 
Church Universal. 


Creeds and Rituals 


19 


The Prayer Book of Episcopalianism is a venerable em¬ 
bodiment of holy teaching. Its thirty-nine articles give 
doubtless a good summary of the Christian faith of the 
sixteenth century, and its fourth article on the Resurrection 
of Christ, affirms: “Christ did truly rise again, and took 
again His body,’ * * * wherewith He ascended into heaven, 
and there sitteth until He return to judge all men at the 
last day.” 

The Church of England, affirming the Nicene Creed, 
states clearly: [He] “ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the 
right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with 
glory to judge both the quick and the dead, whose kingdom 
shall have no end.” This statement shows that our Lord’s 
second coming is not to dwell on the earth for a thousand 
years, but to judge all mankind and end the career of this 
world. One fails to find in the English Church Prayer 
Book, which is a marvellously full and clear setting forth of 
all the great truths of the Gospel, any traces of premillena- 
rianism. 

There is another venerable document, the Westminster 
Confession of Faith of Presbyterianism. In reference to 
Christ, the Mediator, in chapter eight, article four, it declares: 
“On the third day He rose from the dead with the same 
body in which He suffered; with which He also ascended 
into heaven, and there He sitteth at the right hand of the 
Father, making intercession; and shall return to judge men 
and angels at the end of the world.” Also, the Westminster 
Confession in Chaps. 32, 33, has these statements: “At the 
last day, such as are found alive shall not die, but be 
changed: and all the dead shall be raised up with the self¬ 
same bodies, and none other, although with different qualities, 
which shall be united again to their souls forever. 

“The bodies of the unjust shall, by the power of Christ, 
be raised to dishonour; the bodies of the just, by His Spirit, 
unto honour, and be made conformable to his own glorious 
body. 

“God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the 
world in righteousness by Jesus Christ, to whom all power 
and judgment is given of the Father. In which day not 
only the apostate angels shall be judged but likewise all 


20 


The World Program 


persons that have lived upon earth shall appear before the 
tribunal of Christ to give an account of their thoughts, 
words, and deeds, and to receive according to what they 
have done in the body whether good or evil.” 

Of course, the longing of the believer amid trials and 
temptations for the speedy coming of his Lord, is both 
natural and proper. But with those souls under the altar 
that became somewhat impatient at the apparently slow 
progress of events, we also must be patient and wait till the 
Almighty solves the great world problems. This important 
document, the Westminster Confession, makes not the 
slightest reference to two resurrections or to a second sojourn 
of our Blessed Lord upon this earth. All such vagaries are 
utterly ignored. 

The Augsburg Confession was drawn up under the 
supervision of Luther and Melanchthon. The original docu¬ 
ment was read before Charles V, in 1530. This confession 
is the chief standard of faith in the Lutheran Churches, and 
largely represents the Protestantism of Europe. In its 
eighteenth article—“Of Christ’s Return to Judgment”— 
are these words: “Our Churches also teach, that at the 
end of the world, Christ will appear for judgment; and He 
will raise all the dead; that He will bestow upon the pious 
and elect eternal life and endless joys, but will condemn 
wicked men and devils to be punished without end.” 

Likewise the Heidelberg Catechism is a largely represen¬ 
tative theological statement. “It was compiled at the request 
of the Elector Frederic III, was published in 1563, was 
‘recognized’ as authoritative by the Synod of Dort in 1610, 
and has been translated into all the languages of Europe. 
It is the standard of all the Dutch and German Reformed 
Churches of America.” In this compilation of doctrine, we 
find these words in answer to question forty-six: “That 
Christ was taken up in sight of His disciples into heaven, and 
in our behalf there continues, until He shall come again to 
judge the living and the dead.” 

The Discipline of Methodism, though not a venerable, 
is a highly venerated, influential document. It gives both 
polity and theology to one of the most spiritual and intelligent 
post-reformation, ecclesiastical organizations. Its evange- 


Creeds and Rituals 


21 


listic work and its Scriptural teachings are held in honor 
by the piety and learning of Christendom, and its third 
article, “Of the Resurrection of Christ,” declares: “Christ 
did truly rise again from the dead and took again His body 
. . . wherewith He ascended into heaven and there sitteth 
until He return to judge all men at the last day.” 

Surely, it may be asserted that the three Creeds of the 
primitive Church and the great Confessions of Protestantism, 
so far as their doctrinal statements have any bearing on the 
question, most decidedly favor postmillenarianism. Dr. Wm. 
B. Pope further says that “Mediaeval Chiliasm was generally 
the badge of fanatical and heretical sects,” and that “there 
have been no sects based solely upon opinions on this sub¬ 
ject.”—Pope’s Theology, Vol. III., p. 396. In reference to 
this subject, the unanimity is quite remarkable, and is a 
rebuke to those writers who maintain that Christians have 
generally given the Bible a premillennial interpretation. The 
truth is, that these condensed formulas, which give a con¬ 
sensus of Christian faith from primitive times to the present 
day, are decidedly post-millennial. Well-nigh the whole of 
the historical argument favors the conclusion that Christ will 
not come till after the millennium. 

It is indeed, astonishing with what pertinacity and fre¬ 
quent reiterations, assurances are given that the Church has 
often been dominated by premillennialism. In order to con¬ 
fute these tenacious errorists, “line upon line, line upon 
line, here a little and there a little” must be given to show 
that, on the contrary, Christendom has nearly always been 
unanimously postmillennial in its teaching. Of course, we 
must not forget the wild and extensive excitements of 999 
A.D. which swept our western Europe. But after the year 
1000 was quietly ushered in, the people settled down to their 
ordinary vocations and more Scriptural ideas took possession 
of their minds. 

Bishop Hurst in his History of the Christian Church 
says: 

“The Alexandrian theologians arose in great vigor against 
all Chiliastic expectations. Origen declared them mere 
fables, unworthy of a moment’s confidence, though the 
Egyptian Church was freed from them largely through the 


22 


The World Program 


strong opposition of Dionysius. The Western Church was 
not at any time seriously disturbed by them, save by the 
pronounced friends of Montanism. In neither Clement of 
Rome nor Ignatius are there any Chiliastic traces, and the 
same may be said of Polycarp, Athenagoras, and Theophilus. 
As the period of persecution drew toward a close, the mil¬ 
lennial anticipations receded into the background.”—pp. 
293-4. 

Schaff, in his History of the Christian Church in refer¬ 
ence to Chiliasm, says: “It was indeed not the doctrine 
of the Church embodied in any creed or form of devotion, 
but a widely current opinion of distinguished teachers.” In 
speaking of the Jewish Chiliasm, Schaff says: “It was 
adopted by the heretical sect of the Ebionites, and the Gnostic 
Cerinthus.” He further says: “Among the Apostolic 
Fathers Barnabas is the first and the only one who expressly 
teaches a premillennial reign of Christ on earth.” 

As an example of the extravagant notions of the early 
Chiliasts, Schaff gives the following account of what Papias 
of Hierapolis, a “credulous contemporary of Polycarp,” put 
into the mouth of Christ Himself: “The days will come 
when vines shall grow, each having ten thousand branches, 
and in each branch ten thousand twigs, and in each twig 
ten thousand shoots, and in every one of the shoots ten thou¬ 
sand clusters, and on every one of the clusters ten thousand 
grapes, and every grape when pressed will give five and 
twenty measures of wine.”—History of the Christian 
Church, pp. 614-16. 

Schaff in his Creeds of Christendom quotes from The 
Larger Catechism of the Orthodox, Catholic, Eastern 
Church, which is the Greek Church, as follows: 

“226. How does Holy Scripture speak of Christ’s com¬ 
ing again? 

“ ‘This same Jesus which is taken up from you into 
heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go 
into heaven.’—Acts 1:11. 

“227. How does it speak of his future judgement? 

“ ‘The hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves 
shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done 


Creeds and Rituals 


23 


good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done 
evil unto the resurrection of damnation.’—Jno. 5:29-30. 

“228. How does it speak of his Kingdom which shall 
have no end? 

“ ‘He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the 
Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne 
of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of 
Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.’— 
Luke 1:32-33. 

“229. Will the second coming of Christ be like the first? 

“No; very different. He came and suffered for us in 
great humility; but he shall come to judge us in his glory, 
and all the holy angels with him.—Matt. 25:31. 

“230. Will he judge all men? 

“Yes, all without exception. 

“231. How will he judge them? 

“The conscience of every one shall be laid open, etc. 

“232. Will he then condemn us even for evil words and 
thoughts ? 

“Without doubt he will, etc. 

“233. Will Jesus Christ soon come to judgment? 

“We know not. 

“The Lord is not willing that any should perish, but that 
all should come to repentance. ‘But the day of the Lord will 
come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall 
pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt 
with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are 
therein shall be burned up.’—2 Peter 3:9, 10; ‘Watch 
therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein 
the Son of man cometh.’—Matt. 25:13.” 

Notice especially that the Second Coming, the general 
resurrection of all the dead, and the judgment of all, are all 
placed together as occurring at the same time . Also, nowhere 
do we find the two resurrection heresy. Thus we see that 
the main currents of Christian thought during all the 
centuries have never been seriously affected by false prophets 
of the imminence of the Advent. Also they all synchronize 
the Advent and the end of the world and its total destruction. 

The Roman Catholic Church with all its apostasies has 
never fallen into this premillennial heresy. Sometime ago a 


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certain priest sent me what is called, “An Advanced Cate¬ 
chism of Catholic Faith and Practice—Based upon the Third 
Plenary Council Catechism for Use in the Higher Grades 
of Catholic Schools.” On page 66 we find this question and 
answer—“What do you mean by the indefectibility of the 
Church ? 

“By the indefectibility of the Church I mean that the 
Church, as Christ founded it, will last till the end of time. 

“Indefectibility —not subject to defect or decay; inde¬ 
structible ; imperishable. 

“Why will the Church ‘last till the end of time’? 

“The Church will last till the end of time, because Christ 
promised to be with it always, and said, ‘The gates of hell 
shall not prevail against it/—Matt. 16:18 and 28:20.” 

While the priests of Rome are wrong when talking about 
the indefectibility of the Papacy, they are emphatically right 
in holding the indestructibility of Christ’s true Church. 
When our Blessed Lord said to His disciples, “Upon this 
Rock (He is the Rock) I will build my Church; and the 
gates of hell shall not prevail against it,” He gave His 
disciples to understand that His Gospel, His Church, His 
Kingdom, would survive all persecutions, apostasies, and 
world disasters, and would ultimately dominate all thinking 
and acting among men. 

It may be said that in all the Creeds and Rituals of 
Christendom, it is difficult to find even traces of premillen- 
nialism. Of course, there were individuals and little societies 
that fell into this error, and occasional outbursts of end-of- 
the-world excitements afflicted the Church. But the great 
Christian Denominations have always maintained that the 
Gospel was God’s final and all-sufficient answer to the 
appalling needs of humanity and the blessed remedy for the 
sins and woes of a lost race. 


THE MYSTICAL PRESENCE OF CHRIST 


Of this peculiar sentimental notion of explaining away 
the great outstanding and infinitely glorious event of our 
adorable Redeemer’s Second Advent, Miley in his Systematic 
Theology speaks quite definitely, as follows: 

“There are some signs of a present tendency of thought 
away from the traditional doctrine of a personal, visible and 
real in favor of a merely spiritual or providential manifesta¬ 
tion. The prevalence of such a view would carry with it 
the recasting of the traditional doctrines of the general 
resurrection and the final judgment, or rather the elimina¬ 
tion of these doctrines. We see no sufficient reason for the 
acceptance of this view, and therefore adhere to the manner 
of the Advent so long held in the faith of the Church. That 
the Scriptures set forth the coming of Christ as in a personal, 
visible manner can hardly be questioned. Indeed, such 
expression of it seems so definite and clear as to leave no 
place for the opposing view.”—Systematic Theology, Vol. 
II, p. 440. 

Again, he says: “A figurative sense of the second Advent 
is opposed to the literal sense; that is, it denies a literal 
coming of Christ, and limits the whole account of it to the 
meaning of some purely spiritual work or spiritually provi¬ 
dential interposition in the history of the Church. This was 
the position of a type of Universalism which fifty years ago, 
was strong enough in some parts of our country to make 
itself known. There is much less of it now. As this school 
denied all future punishment, it was compelled to deny the 
traditional view of the second Advent. The contention 
against it was based largely on the discourse of our Lord 
respecting the destruction of the temple. The endeavor was 
to find therein, together with the destruction of Jerusalem, 
the fulfillment of all the Scriptures say respecting the 
second Advent.” 


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Miley further affirms: “A few texts will suffice to show 
the coincidence of the final judgment with the end of the 
world.” He also states that “the end of the world will be 
the consummation of the world’s history.”—Ibid., pp. 441- 
2-3-4. 

It is much to be regretted that some most excellent per¬ 
sons, who probably consciously or unconsciously are mysti¬ 
cally inclined, who enjoy hallowed spiritual communion with 
their Blessed Lord, and who meditate frequently and 
delightfully upon such promises as this—“Lo, I am with you 
alway, even unto the end of the world”—Matt. 28:20—it 
is much to be regretted that these truly spiritually minded 
Christians become so absorbed in the present realization of 
the Divine Presence of their Master that they are entirely 
oblivious of that infinitely more glorious manifestation, 
when our ascended Lord arrayed in robes of Deity, accom¬ 
panied with myriads of saints and angels, will appear “in 
the air,” in the heavens of our planet, as the Eternal Judge 
Supreme of all mankind. Thus will the God-man as the 
King of Glory, with His glorified humanity and in the inef¬ 
fable Majesty of His Deity, return, in visible glorified 
Incarnated Personality, as the Son of God and Son of Man, 
the Second Person in the Holy Trinity. We all believe that 
Christ spiritually is everywhere. Certainly, at present, He is 
with all true believers, according to His gracious promises. 
But our Lord in His glorified Humanity is also represented 
as being seated, enthroned, and thus localized at the right 
hand of the Father. But at the end of time, at the end of 
the world, the Theanthropos, the Theandros, the God-man, 
will leave His celestial throne and descend to “the air” of 
our terrestrial heaven, where He will receive His Bride, the 

Church, which He has redeemed with His own most precious 
blood, which will then be glorified, and which He will take 
up to Heaven with unutterable joy to saints and angels and 
the Holy Trinity. We must not allow mystics to rob the 
Church of God of the second ascension glory of our Lord, or 
tacitly to ignore the Incarnation. Let all therefore under¬ 
stand that the Incarnate Saviour will make at the end of 
time, the Second Advent which will be the consummation of 
all His glorious victories, over sin, death, and hell. 


The Mystical Presence of Christ 


27 


At this point our Blessed Lord Himself helps us to 
understand somewhat of His infinite and finite—unique 
Personality, as the God-man. In comforting His disciples 
about His departure, He intimated that the Omnipresent 
Holy Spirit could minister to them more efficiently than He 
Himself could do. While the Incarnation made Christ the 
all-perfect and all-sufficient Saviour, it also involved certain 
limitations in relation to His ubiquity. For Christ as the 
Son of Man was localized. But in Spirit He is always 
present with the believer and in His Church—He is every¬ 
where. However, at the end of the world, it is in the full 
glory of His Incarnated Personality, that the God-man will 
make His appearance in “the air,” accompanied by the souls 
of all departed saints and innumerable hosts of cherubim 
and seraphim, angels and archangels. 

We must remember that Christ will come not as the 
“Man of Sorrows,” not as the “lowly Nazarene,” who 
walked the Holy Land as a dust stained traveler in peasant 
garb, not having where to lay His head, and not protected 
from the derision of Scribes and Pharisees. His face is not 
now marred more than that of any man, but it shines with an 
effulgence far transcending the noon-tide splendours. This 
is the King of glory, the “King of Kings and Lord of 
Lords.” Now comes the Lord God Almighty, the omni¬ 
present, the omniscient, and the omnipotent Being. This is 
the uncreated Creator of all things, whose glory fills both 
Heaven and earth. This is the Supreme Being possessing 
a personality of infinite power, wisdom and goodness. 

It is the glory of our humanity to remember that the 
Man Christ Jesus is never separated from Deity. There is 
always the God-man the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. 

Now, our dear mystic brethren forget that though Christ 
in Spirit is everywhere, yet, as the incarnate Son of God, 
He is enthroned in Heaven at the right hand of the Majesty 
on High—and it is this all-glorious Redeemer, Divine and 
Human, who in due time will return in great glory to receive 
His Bride which is His blood bought Church. It is neces¬ 
sary also to remind our dear mystic brethren that this is the 
Dispensation of the Holy Spirit who is the Third Person of 
the Glorious Trinity. 


THIS IS THE DISPENSATION OF THE 

HOLY SPIRIT 


These beloved mystics must be repeatedly reminded that 
this is emphatically the Dispensation of the Spirit. As 
Jesus was taking His fond farewell of His disciples, He 
said: “Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued 
with power from high.”—Luke 24:49. Again, it is written: 
“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were 
all with one accord in one place . . . And they were all 
filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other 
tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”—Acts 2:1 and 
4. Our Lord before His Ascension comforted His disciples 
by promising them the advent of the Third Person of the 
Holy Trinity. “But when the Comforter is come, whom I 
will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, 
which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of me.”— 
Jno. 15 :26. In His farewell discourse Jesus again encourages 
them. “But now I go my way to Him that sent me; and 
none of you asketh me, Whither goest Thou? But because 
I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your 
hearts. Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient 
for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter 
will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him 
unto you. And when He is come, He will reprove the 
world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.”—Jno. 
16:5-8. The Church cannot ignore the fact that this is the 
Dispensation of the Holy Spirit. 

Christ’s spiritual coming at Pentecost must not be con¬ 
founded with His final coming at the end of the world. 

Our Blessed Lord Himself clearly distinguishes between 
His final Advent in glory at the end of time, and His coming- 
in the Spirit at Pentecost. 

This distinction is clearly made in Matt. 16:27 and 28: 
“For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father 
with His angels; and then He shall reward every man 


Dispensation of the Holy Spirit 


29 


according to his works.” This passage predicts in verse 27, 
the final and glorious Advent when Christ comes to judge 
all mankind. Now, in the next verse, the 28th, the Saviour 
makes another prediction of another event: “Verily, I say 
unto you, There be some standing here which shall not 
taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in His 
kingdom.” In verse 27, the Saviour foretells His own return 
in the glory of the Father and accompanied with angels to 
render judgment to every human being according to his 
merit or demerit; while in the second verse, the 28th, of this 
passage, the Saviour predicts His coming, not in person, but 
in the Spirit in His Kingdom, and also predicts that some 
of His hearers will live to witness that happy event—and 
that glorious event occurred on Pentecost, when the Lord 
by the Holy Spirit founded His Kingdom on earth and when 
many of these very hearers zvere present, and greatly rejoiced 
that the Saviour, according to promise, had baptized them 
with the Holy Ghost. 

Knowing that these two important events should be care¬ 
fully distinguished, the Spirit of Inspiration gives a similar 
record in Mark 8:38 and 9:1, when He says: “Whosoever 
therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this 
adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son 
of man be ashamed, when He cometh in the glory of His 
Father with the holy angels.” Here again is presented the 
judgment scene—the final consummation of all things earthly 
—when Christ shall come “in the glory of His Father with 
the holy angels.” Then in the very next verse, He predicts: 
“Verily, I say unto you, That there be some of you that 
stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen 
the Kingdom of God come with power.” Notice that in 
this passage as well as in the similar one in Luke—which will 
be considered immediately— Christ is not even mentioned. 
Why is this? Because in these predictions the emphasis is 
on the immediate coming of the Kingdom of God—the won¬ 
derful Pentecostal event. 

Notice now the third repetition of these predictions. The 
same declarations are found again in Luke 9:26, 27: 
“For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my words, of 
him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He shall come 


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in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy 
angels.” This Second Advent of our Blessed Lord, at the 
end of the world to bring all to judgment, is so emphatically 
and repeatedly stated that it seems almost impossible for 
any one to deny it. Here again as in the two former pas¬ 
sages, it is recorded in verse 28, “But I tell you of a truth, 
there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, 
till they see the Kingdom of God.” Thus all the synoptic 
Gospels present these two great events together that 
Christians might discern their difference and believe in 
both of them. There will be the glorious Second Advent, 
when all mankind will be summoned to judgment, and 
there was on the Day of Pentecost an invisible coming of 
Christ in Spirit, when the Kingdom of God was established 
on earth. Also, this wonderful event was witnessed by 
many of those that heard the Saviour’s predictions. There¬ 
fore, how unscriptured it is to deny that Christ is coming 
again, or to deny that He has already set up His spiritual 
Kingdom of grace and glory in the hearts of believers. 

THE ASCENSION OF OUR BLESSED LORD 

The Saviour having finished His work on earth, made 
His Ascension, and took His seat at the right hand of the 
Father, according to His own prediction. He said to His 
wavering disciples: “What and if ye shall see the Son of 
man ascend up where He was before?”—Jno. 6:62. To 
Mary Magdalene at the sepulchre He said: “Take not hold 
of me: for I am not yet ascended unto the Father: but go 
to my brethren and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father 
and your Father; and to my God and to your God.”—Jno. 
20:17. 

It is recorded in Acts 1:9-11: “And when He had 
spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; 
and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while 
they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, 
behold two men stood by them in white apparel; which also 
said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? 
This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, 
shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into 
heaven.” Observe the angels use the human name Jesus; 


Dispensation of the Holy Spirit 


31 


for a certain emphasis is on the humanity of the Saviour. 
The disciples have witnessed the ascension and now the 
angels predict the return of the Godman “in like manner”; 
that is, in a visible Personality coming doum from the 
heavens. 

Paul writes very definitely on the Ascension: “When He 
ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave 
gifts unto men.” “He that descended is the same also that 
ascended up far above all heavens that He might fill all 
things.”—Eph. 4:8 and 10. The martyr Stephen in his last 
moments exclaimed: “Behold I see the heavens opened, and 
the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.”—Acts 
7 :56. Further, concerning His ascended Son, the Almighty 
announced: “Sit on my right hand, until I make thine 
enemies thy footstool.”—Heb. 1:13. This means that our 
Lord is to remain enthroned in Heaven until the world has 
been converted and has had its Millennium. 

This idea is clearly set forth in Acts 3 :21, 22: “And He 
shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto 
you: Whom the Heaven must receive until the times of 
restitution (restoration in R. V.) of all things, which God 
hath spoken by the mouth of His holy prophets, since the 
world began.” Thayer in his Greek-English Lexicon of the 
New Testament has this note: “The restoration not only 
of the true theocracy but also of that more perfect of (even 
physical) things which existed before the fall.” That is, 
the world must have its period of restoration before the 
Second Advent. Dr. David Brown the commentator com¬ 
menting on this passage says: “Whether we understand the 
‘restitution’ here meant of a moral or a physical restitution, 
or both—considered as the burden of all Old Testament 
prophecy and requiring complete accomplishment ere Christ 
come again—the words of the apostle are clearly subversive 
of a millennial state after Christ comes.” Paul in 2 Th. 
2:2-4, puts the whole career of the “man of sin,” who “as 
God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is 
God,” before the Second Advent. Also, Peter in this famous 
passage puts before the Parousia, “the restitution of all 
things” through the Gospel’s ministry in his glorious Dispen¬ 
sation of the Holy Spirit. The holy prophet Isaiah beau- 


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tifully and accurately predicts and describes this restitution 
of all things in the 35th chapter of his prophecy. “The wil¬ 
derness and the solitary place shall be glad for them”—for 
the Gospel messages of apostles and preachers—“and the des¬ 
ert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose.” God has come with 
vengeance and with a recompense; for “God was in Christ 
reconciling the world unto Himself.” He opened blind 
eyes, unstopped deaf ears, made the lame leap for joy, 
caused the tongue of the dumb to sing, and revealed to His 
Church the “way of holiness.” “In it the way-faring men, 
though fools, shall not err therein.” 

Our Blessed Lord will remain enthroned in Heaven till 
the leaven of His Gospel has leavened the whole earth with 
righteousness. Thus after the world has enjoyed its seventh 
day of Sabbath rest—its period of restoration to primitive 
normalcy according to the holy prophets, then the Saviour 
will come for His Church, which is His Bride.—Christendom 
has always believed in an ascended, glorified and returning 
Redeemer, returning after the Millennium. 

AT PRESENT CHRIST IS OUR INTERCESSOR 

IN HEAVEN 

Paul informs us: “It is Christ that died, yea rather, 
that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, 
who also maketh intercession for us.”—Rom. 8:34. Thus, 
years after Pentecost, the apostle asserted that the God-man 
was then primarily enthroned at the right hand of God. He 
is our great High Priest in the Holy of Holies in Heaven. 
There is a most blessed statement concerning our Intercessor 
in Heb. 7:25: “Wherefore He is able to save them to the 
uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever 
liveth to make intercession for them.” 

This glorious work of intercession for us in the immediate 
Presence of the Father, is repeatedly symbolized in the book 
of Revelation by the Presence of the Lamb. The first 
mention is this: “And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the 
throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of 
the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven 
horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God 


Dispensation of the Holy Spirit 


33 


[the Holy Spirit] sent forth into all the earth.”—Rev. 5:6. 
This wonderful passage answers our question. It places the 
Saviour as the propitiatory Sacrifice in the celestial Holy of 
Holies, while the Spirit is “sent forth into all the earth,” 
to carry on His gracious ministries in convicting sinners, 
regenerating penitents, and sanctifying believers. 

This book of Revelation lays great stress upon Christ’s 
Presence in Heaven as the all-atoning Lamb of God. In 
this fifth chapter, there are four mentions of the Lamb; 
namely, the one just given; the second is in verse 8: “The 
four and twenty elders fall down before the Lamb”; the 
third in verse 12: “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain”; and 
the fourth in verse 13: “Blessing unto the Lamb forever.” 
In this last book of the Bible, the Saviour is referred to 
about twenty-eight times under the symbol of a Lamb. In 
this figurative manner special emphasis is given to the Per¬ 
sonal Presence in Heaven of our Lord who is “the Lamb of 
God which taketh away the sin of the world.” Therefore, 
while the third Person of the Holy Trinity, proceeding from 
the Father and the Son, is performing His blessed ministries 
in the Church militant here below, our once crucified Saviour 
is ever living in Heaven presenting the “oblation of Himself 
once offered as a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, obla¬ 
tion, and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world.” Of 
course our High Priest, our Intercessor, whose most precious, 
peace-speaking blood makes the atonement for sin—of course 
His proper place is in the Holy of Holies above to make 
prevailing and constant intercession for our sinning race. It 
is consequently a most serious misconception to imagine that 
the special Personal mission of the God-man is now to this 
earth, and thus tacitly to ignore the special Presence and work 
of the Spirit in this, which is in truth, the Dispensation of the 
Holy Spirit, and to ignore the Presence of Christ in Heaven 
as our Mediator. 

Truly, the Presence of the Lord at the Sacrament and in 
the Church as its Head, is purely spiritual, and is by no 
means a fulfillment of His gracious promises to return at the 
end of the world for His Bride in indescribable power and 
glory in a visible effulgence that will illuminate the universe. 


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SACRAMENTAL PRESENCE 

May we discern Thy Presence, Lord, 

When we partake of bread and wine, 
According to Thy written Word, 

And feel within Thy love divine. 

But, we shall see Thy glory, Lord, 

Descending from Thy heavenly throne, 
According to Thy written Word, 

To make on earth Thy judgments known. 


THE INJURIOUS RESULTS OF 
PREMILLENARIANISM 


From time to time since the first Advent, Christians have 
been disturbed by hasty, ill-informed people, who have propa¬ 
gated confused notions about the second Advent and the end 
of the world. 

The first excitement of this kind was at Thessalonica, 
when an erroneous interpretation was put upon Paul’s first 
Epistle to that city. Whereupon the apostle himself promptly 
and severely reprimanded the offenders who were really wil¬ 
ful deceivers. This is shown by his scathing rebuke which 
is found in 2 Th. 2:1-4. 

Then in the Early Church premillennialism had its repre¬ 
sentatives like “Irenaeus, Tertullian, and Hypolitus who 
were Chiliasts”; but the more learned theologians of the 
first Christian centuries had a better understanding of the 
Scriptures. Augustine (354-430), the powerful polemic and 
“one of the four great fathers of the Latin Church,” was not 
carried away by Chiliasm; nor was Jerome (c. 340-420), 
who “is the great Christian scholar of his age,” and who 
gave the Roman Christians their Vulgate translation of the 
Holy Scriptures. The learned Origen, “one of the most 
distinguished and most influential of all the theologians of 
the ancient church” (c. 185-c. 254), had the true idea about 
the millennium. He contended “that instead of a final and 
desperate conflict between Paganism and Christianity, the 
real progress and victory of Christianity would consist in 
the gradual spread of the truth throughout the world and in 
the voluntary homage paid to it by all secular powers.”— 
Chambers’s Ency.-Millennium. Happily the more illustrious 
and influential Fathers of the Church were not led astray 
by premillennial delusions. 

But “the Montanists generally were extreme millenarians 
or Chiliasts, and being considered a heretical sect, con¬ 
tributed largely to bring Chiliasm into discredit, or, at all 


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events, their own carnal form of Chiliasm, which 1 ertullian 
himself attacked. Lactantius in the beginning of the 4th 
century, was the last important Church Father who indulged 
in Chiliastic dreams. In the 5th century St. Jerome and 
St. Augustine expressly combatted certain fanatics who 
still hoped for the advent of a millennial kingdom, whose 
pleasures included those of the flesh. From this time the 
Church formally rejected millenarianism in its sensuous 
‘visible form’: although the doctrine every now and then 
made its reappearance, especially as a general popular belief 
in the most sudden and obstinate manner. Thus the expecta¬ 
tion of the Last Day in the year 1000 A.D. reinvested the 
doctrine with a transitory importance.”—Chambers’s Encv.- 
Millennium. 

The Years 999 and 1000 

In these years all over Europe there was great consterna¬ 
tion. Charles MacKay, LL.D., gives the following account: 

“An epidemic terror of the end of the world has several 
times spread over the nations. The most remarkable was 
that which seized Christendom about the middle of the tenth 
century. Numbers of the fanatics appeared in France, Ger¬ 
many, and Italy at that time, preaching that the thousand 
years prophesied in the Apocalypse as the term of the 
world’s duration, were about to expire, and that the Son 
of Man would appear in clouds to judge the godly and the 
ungodly. The delusion appears to have been discouraged by 
the Church; but it nevertheless spread rapidly among the 
people. 

“The scene of the last judgment was expected to be at 
Jerusalem. In the year 999, the number of pilgrims proceed¬ 
ing eastward, to await the coming of the Lord in that city, 
was so great that they were compared to a desolating army. 
Most of them sold their goods and possessions before they 
quitted Europe, and lived upon the proceeds in the Holy 
Land. Buildings of every sort were suffered to fall into 
ruins. It was thought useless to repair them, when the end of 
the world was so near. Many noble edifices were deliberately 
pulled down. Even Churches, usually so well maintained, 
shared the general neglect. Knights, citizens, and serfs 
traveled eastward in company, taking with them their wives 


Injurious Results of Pre-Millenarianism 37 

and children, singing psalms as they went, and looking with 
fearful eyes upon the sky, which they expected each minute 
to open, to let the Son of God descend in glory. 

“During the thousandth year the number of pilgrims 
increased. Most of them were smitten with terror as with 
a plague. Every phenomenon of nature filled them with 
alarm. A thunder storm sent them all upon their knees in 
mid-march. It was the opinion that thunder was the voice 
of God, announcing the day of judgment. Numbers 
expected the earth to open, and give up its dead at the 
sound. Every meteor in the sky seen at Jerusalem brought 
the whole Christian population into the streets to weep and 
pray. The pilgrims on the road were in the same alarm. 

“Frantic preachers kept up the flame of terror. Every 
shooting star furnished occasion for a sermon in which the 
sublimity of the approaching judgment was the principal 
topic.”—MacKay’s Extraordinary Popular Delusions, pp. 
222-3. 

This vast excitement, that shook all Europe, must have 
amounted to a continental calamity. 

The Reformation and the Second Advent 

“The Reformation of the 16th century gave a new 
impulse to Chiliasm. But when the Anabaptists undertook 
in 1534 to erect the New Zion both the Lutheran and 
Reformed Churches declared themselves against this the 
revision of the old doctrine.”—The American Ency. 

“The great body of the Reformers” did not adopt millen- 
arianism: but “some fanatical sects such as the Anabaptists” 
and “various theosophists in the next century” fell under its 
influence. During the civil and religious wars in France and 
England, it was also prominent. “The extravagances of 
the French mystics and Quietists culminated in Chiliastic 
views.”—Chambers’s Ency. “In the Reformation era the 
hope of a speedy establishment of the Messianic Kingdom 
was especially cherished by many of the Baptists.”—The New 
International Ency. Thus during the present era, at every 
revolution, rebellion, religious revival—at every notable com- 


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motion in Church or State—the premillennial heresy has 
always been in evidence to add to the confusion and agitation 
of the public mind. 

Fifth Monarchy Men 

“Fifth Monarchy Men, the name of a Puritan sect in 
England, which for a time supported the government of 
Oliver Cromwell in the belief that it was a preparation for 
the fifth monarch; that is, for the monarchy that should 
succeed the Assyrian [Babylonian], the Persian, the Greek, 
and the Roman, and during which Christ should reign on 
earth with His saints for a thousand years. Disappointed 
at the delay in the fulfillment of their hopes, they soon began 
to agitate against the government and vilify Cromwell; but 
the arrest of their leaders and preachers Christopher Feake, 
John Rogers, and others, cooled their ardor, and they were, 
perforce, content to cherish their hopes in secret, until after 
the Restoration. Then on the 6th of January, 1661, a band 
of Fifth Monarchy Men, headed by a cooper named Thomas 
Venner, who was one of their preachers, made an attempt to 
obtain possession of London. Most of them were either 
killed or taken prisoners, and on the 19th and 21st of January, 
Venner and ten others were executed for high treason. From 
that time the special doctrines of the sect either died, or 
became merged in a milder form of millenarianism, similar 
to that which exists at the present day.”—The Encyclopaedia 
Britannica. 

Macaulay mentions these enthusiasts—“Fifth Monarch 
Men shouting for King Jesus, agitators lecturing from the 
tops of tubs on the fate of Agag—all these they tell us were 
the offspring of the Great Rebellion.”—Essay on Milton. 

The London Plague 

“During the great plague of London, in 1665, the people 
listened with similar avidity to the predictions of quacks and 
fanatics. Defoe says that at that time the people were more 
addicted to prophecies, dreams, and old wives’ tales than ever 
they were before or since.”—MacKay’s Popular Delusions, 

p. 228. 


Injurious Results of Pre-Millenarianism 39 

“Many English mystics looked forward for the second 
Advent in the year 1666/’ Also, “Swedenborg held that the 
Millennial dispensation began in 1757.”—New International 
Ency. 

“In the year 1761 the citizens of London were alarmed by 
two shocks of earthquake, and the prophecy of a third which 
was to destroy them altogether. The first shock was felt 
on the 8th of February and the second happened on the 8th 
of March—It soon became the subject of general remark, 
that there was exactly an interval of a month between the 
shocks; and a crack-brained fellow, named Bell, a soldier in 
the Life Guards, was so impressed with the idea that there 
would be a third in another month, that he lost his senses 
altogether, and ran about the streets predicting the destruc¬ 
tion of London on the 5th of April—As the awful day 
approached, the excitement became intense, and great 
numbers of credulous people resorted to all the villages within 
a circuit of twenty miles, awaiting the doom of London— 
The greater part of the fugitives returned on the following 
day, convinced that the prophet was a false one. Bell lost 
his credit in a short time, and was looked upon even by the 
most credulous as a mere madman—In a few months after¬ 
wards, he was confined in a lunatic asylum.”—MacKay’s 
Popular Delusions, p. 224. 

Many deluded multitudes have disregarded the specific 
statement of the Saviour: “Ye know neither the day nor 
the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh.”—Matt. 25:13. 

Our Lord does not neglect to deal faithfully with these 
mistaken premillenarians. He describes the moral collapse 
that follows their false predictions, and portrays “that evil 
servant” who when disappointed said in his heart, “My 
Lord delays His coming,” and begins “to smite his fellow- 
servants, and to eat and to drink with the drunken.”—Matt. 
24:48, 49. The Master foresaw that after His Ascension, 
there would be rash people, “wise above what is written,” 
who would prematurely predict His return, and who, when 
disappointed, would give themselves over to unbelief and 
wickedness. These sad failures of these oft-repeated pre¬ 
dictions, have a very demoralizing effect upon the weak- 
minded who are easily carried away by any passing excite- 


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ment. Church history furnishes sorrowful illustrations of 
this parable of the “evil servant.” For unfulfilled declara¬ 
tions by pretenders to divine foreknowledge, are sure to 
cause disastrous results. 

The Millerite Excitement 

William Miller, who was born in Massachusetts, who 
about 1816 settled in Low Hampton, New York, joined the 
Baptist Church, and who in 1818 became a Second Adventist, 
finally became the leader of that denomination in America. 
His great contention was that the 2,300 days of Daniel 8:14, 
meant 2,300 years—so far no doubt he was right—and that 
these years began with Ezra’s going up to Jerusalem in 457 
B. C. and consequently came to an end in 1843; for 1,843 plus 
457 equals 2,300. Therefore, with great zeal and confidence 
he announced that the year 1843 would witness the Lord’s 
return to rule this world with the aid of His saints. Of 
course, when the prediction failed, there was sore disappoint¬ 
ment and confusion. Then he confessed that he had made a 
mistake, but only of one year; and went on stoutly affirming 
that the end would come on October 22, 1844. On this 
second proclamation, his perplexed followers were somewhat 
reassured. For many of them had “left their business, and 
in white muslin robes, on house-tops and hills, awaited the 
Epiphany, the appearance of the Saviour. In spite of 
the disappointment many still believed that the time was 
near.” Although the second failure was most serious, yet 
it did not disillusionize some of his followers: for in April, 
1845, Miller called a convention, and the remaining Ad¬ 
ventists were formed into a single body—became a “denom¬ 
ination.” But since that time they have separated into “sev¬ 
eral sects.”—Ency. Brit.—Miller, William. 

But in neither Europe nor America have these heretical 
sects made much impression upon the great orthodox 
Churches. According to the Ency. Brit., the total number 
of Adventists in the United States in 1908 was 99,300. Then 
in 1914, the statistician, Dr. H. K. Carroll, gives the number 
of the six bodies of Adventists in this country as 98,927— 
showing a decrease for the six years. Again, according to 
the same authority, the same bodies in 1917 had only 117,569 


Injurious Results of Pre-Millenarianism 41 

communicants. Now, this slight increase is due, no doubt, 
largely to the unparalleled world-wide commotions of the 
greatest War in the history of the human race. For when¬ 
ever and wherever a crisis or calamity appears then Adven¬ 
tism is sure to put itself in evidence to intensify the public 
unrest and anxiety. Thus the slight increase of less than 
17,000 under the most favorable circumstances possible for 
such a delusion, shows that the Adventist proselyting propa¬ 
ganda makes an insignificant impression on the public mind. 

In the year 1869, I was stationed as a Wesleyan Methodist 
minister in Montreal in the Province of Quebec, and remained 
in that part of Canada for about twelve years—much of that 
time living near the Vermont border. This gave excellent 
opportunities for obtaining information about the Millerite 
movement, which had in it much of comedy, but more of 
tragedy. 

At a certain meeting the fanatical preacher announced 
that the world would end in twenty minutes and immediately 
a man in the congregation lost his reason. 

A maiden lady of good family became so excited that, 
on the appointed day, she shaved her head, dressed in white, 
and went with others to the neighboring graveyard, and 
waited till past midnight for the expected apparitions. 

My sainted father, who was also a Wesleyan Methodist 
minister, began his ministry in 1833—ten years before the 
Millerite movement of 1843. He would sometimes speak 
about it. For instance, he would tell us of a certain Adventist 
who “sot the time” at 12 o’clock, high noon, of a certain day. 
Well, an enterprising youth, to suitably prepare for the 
occasion, ingeniously constructed out of goose wings, a pair 
of large wings for himself, wherewith he imagined he would 
be able to lead the procession up into the air. Further, to 
secure a good start, he ascended to the peak of the barn; 
and, when the noon hour struck, it found him poised and 
ready for flight. He made the upward leap; but—a downward 
tumble and a broken leg. 

The Rev. Henry Lanton, also a Wesleyan Methodist 
minister, who was stationed in the city of Quebec, in 1838, 
just before the great Advent excitement, wrote a book on the 
subject. In describing one of their meetings, he says that 


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the preacher solemnly declared that it had been sealed upon 
his heart that the Lord would come on a certain day in the 
near future. On hearing this, some in the congregation said 
Amen, intimating thereby that they also had been honored 
with a similar divine sealing. Why is it that Premillennial- 
ism is such a fruitful mother of false witnesses ? 

Again, a prosperous farmer, with a pleasant home in the 
suburb of a fine village, falls under the spell of this old 
delusion, and sells his valuable property for $700—enough, 
he imagines, for the short time remaining. But soon stern 
poverty overtook him and must have embittered his declining 
years. 

Even some very worthy Christians have been completely 
deceived by this heresy. A dear old couple became so fully 
convinced that the end of the world was near that they just 
abandoned their home and farm, moved into the neighboring 
town, and spent their time in attending Advent meetings. 

In a certain Ohio city there was an octagonal church with 
a glass-covered opening in the center of the roof. At the 
appointed time the congregation, afflicted with Adventism, 
assembled in the Church and expected to ascend through the 
glass opening in the roof to meet the Lord. 

In a certain city, the Adventists at the appointed time, 
went out to the cemetery leaving their homes, shops, and 
stores open and telling the people that they were welcome to 
go in and take whatever they might desire. But when the 
robed and disappointed saints returned and saw their looted 
homes and places of business they were ready to blaspheme 
and to renounce all religion. Indeed, by this heresy Satan 
has driven many into insanity and more into infidelity. 

The Rev. J. M. Hagar, A.M., of the Canada Methodist 
Church spent several years near the Vermont border, and 
took pains to note the effects of the Millerite excitement. 
He saw that in some communities, as the appointed time 
drew near, “all the Churches were drawn into the movement, 
and the meetings often witnessed scenes of wild and even 
frantic disorder.” “At one place a brother, who had come 
provided with wings, climbed to the gable of the school- 
house when the multitude assembled, and launched forth to 
fly, but after several gyrations fell heavily to the ground.” 


Injurious Results of Pre-Millenarianism 43 

(( Mr - ^ a S ar further states that in the Eastern Townships, 
“previous to the coming of the Adventists, the Methodists, 
Baptists, and Congregationalists gathered congregations. A 
l ar ge proportion of these Churches were swept into the 
Advent current, and when the whole movement collapsed, 
the discredited evangelists withdrew, leaving their deluded 
followers as sheep without a shepherd. The effect of all 
this was disastrous to religion. The minds of the people 
generally were confused, and filled with doubt as to the truth 
of the Bible and Christianity. Twenty-five years after the 
collapse, I found a number of large communities without 
churches or religious services. The older residents, who 
had passed through the excitement, were still confused and 
unbelieving, and a younger generation had grown up without 
religious instruction. Any attempts to found churches among 
them were usually without success.” “In 1873, I heard an 
Adventist evangelist declare before a large congregation that 
if Jesus did not return to earth on a certain day of the next 
April, he would burn his Bible. For, he said, the Bible 
taught it, and if that was untrue, the whole Bible was 
untrue.” 


Eggleston's “End of the World” 

In that book there is a fair description of Millerite 
preachers and their preaching, and of its baneful effects upon 
a community. Elder Plankins is a typical character, whose 
learning and theology are well focused in the phrase, “Figgers 
won't lie.” Then Mrs. Anderson, the unreliable, excitable, 
and hysterical, was fine fuel for an end-of-the-world com¬ 
munity conflagration. She could dream dreams, see visions, 
and hear voices to order. Honest Jonas, who understood her 
well, said, “She repented more of other folkses’ sins than 
anybody he ever seed.” Also, there was Humphreys, the 
gambler and seducer, who like Ananias pretended to have 
sold all his property, paid his debts, and reserved only 
enough for the few remaining days, while the rest was given 
to the pious poor. 

Eggleston's description of “The Last Day and What 
Happened in it,” is well within the limits of known barts. 
His imagination does not do injustice to Millerism. Some 


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made ascension robes, all ceased to work, while “the more 
abandoned, unwilling to yield to the panic, showed its effects 
upon them by deeper potations, and by recklessness of 
wickedness meant to conceal their fears. With their tin 
horns they blasphemously affected to be angels blowing 
trumpets. They imitated the Millerite meetings in their 
drunken sprees, and learned Mr. Hankins’ arguments by 
heart.” 

At the height of the excitement even hardened sinners 
were thoroughly paralyzed with “abject fear,” and “one 
simple-minded girl was a maniac.” Of course, the reaction 
soon set in, and carried some of these deluded people “from 
credulity” “into the blankest atheism and boldest immor¬ 
ality.” 

A well-known preacher in the latter part of 1917, 
announced to a congregation in the vicinity of Los Angeles 
that the Lord would come on a certain day in the near future. 
When his prediction failed, this pseudo-prophet was greatly 
humiliated and was much disturbed in mind. 

A very reliable minister wrote to me of the following 
cases : A Salvation Army officer, when a boy in Canada, saw 
his father and grandfather, who among others were carried 
away with the Millerite craze, cut down the fine wooden fence 
from around their home and burn it, saying: “We shall not 
need it as Jesus is coming soon, and the world will be at an 
end.” 

Also, a Salvation Army officer stated “that his own 
father when he was past eighty used to stand and testify on 
the streets in Chicago that Christ would come and he would 
live to welcome Him.” 

Two well-known ministers of this state, whom I knew, 
used to say that they would live to see the second coming of 
the Saviour. They are both dead. 

Here is another case which reveals the heartless pessimism 
of premillennialism. An earnest, spiritually-minded young 
minister, anticipating a revival in his charge near Los An¬ 
geles, “made known his faith and enthusiastic hope to” a 
certain prominent premillennialist, saying to him, “I am going 
to lay my plans in prayer and study for a great revival on my 
new charge.” Then this premillennial preacher replied: 


Injurious Results of Pre-Millenarianism 45 


“Don’t let your enthusiasm run away with you, young man, 
the world is getting worse and worse, and I am kind of glad 
of it, as it means the more immediate coming of our Lord.” 
This spiritual young man replied: “Then wouldn’t you 

advise me not to attempt a revival, Dr.-, lest I get 

a few people converted, and then make the world a little 
better, and hence delay His Coming?” The foregoing con¬ 
versation shows that this heresy does not favor a sincere 
evangelism. 

It may be said that all over the eastern and middle states 
there were scenes similar to those described in the foregoing 
pages. Also in trans-Atlantic countries there were most 
humiliating actions where ignorance and superstition, mad¬ 
dened fear and crazed frenzy proved that the premillennial 
prophets were not sent of the Lord. Many a hilltop and 
many a cemetery at midnight witnessed disgraceful per¬ 
formances of the wildest disorder. 

In the California Christian Advocate of November 14, 
1918, the editor, Dr. F. M. Larkin, well says: 

“I am not a premillennialist because of its history. From 
the beginning unto the present day it has always led its 
believers into pessimism and has paralyzed their efforts in 
Christianizing of the world. Dr. Daniel Dorchester says 
in his history of Christianity in the United States, in speak¬ 
ing of the effect of the revival of Adventism under Wm. 
Miller: ‘No auspicious spiritual indications greeted the open¬ 
ing of the period, but a religious declension following the 
Millerite excitement, left the churches in a low condition.’ 
Many who had implicitly accepted the dogmas of Mr. Miller 
and supposed them taught in the Bible, were staggered in 
confidence and did not recover so as to become reliable for 
Christian service. ‘From 1843 to 1857 the accessions to the 
churches were few and not equal to the depreciation of 
death and discipline.’ ” 

If the time sot by these evangelists that put “strange 
fire” in their censers, happened to be in the spring of the 
year, the planting was often neglected. Then at harvest 
there was nothing to reap. Many, like the foolish grass¬ 
hopper that sings away the summer and starves in autumn, 
found themselves in cold and hunger—in utter destitution 



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when winter came. But if the sot time was in the fall, then 
the harvest was neglected, and winter frosts and snows 
destroyed the fruits of the earth, and empty cellars and 
empty barns predicted starvation for people and cattle. The 
hungry wolf at the door succeeded the false prophet in the 
Church. 

There is another serious consideration about this danger¬ 
ous fad. Other heresies have a time of aggressive propaga¬ 
tion, come to their maximum, and then die out. At present 
no one worships Zeus and Athena, or Jupiter and Juno. In 
like manner modern cults will have their day and then descend 
into their well-merited oblivion. This fate awaits the recent 
so-called Christian Science—neither Christian nor scientific— 
which is probably the cheapest and insanest delusion to be 
found on the humbug religious market today. Happily, 
already it is on the wane. 

But this Second Adventism is a kind of perennial which 
during all the Christian centuries, at every time when war, 
or famine, or pestilence, or earthquake has visited the earth, 
has immediately sent forth its usual crowd of zealots—“wise” 
ones who could discern “the signs of the times” and who 
forthwith troubled the Church with their illusive visions, 
imaginary revelations, and unscriptural predictions. In this 
way, irreparable injury is done to all the higher interests of 
our Christian civilization. The Church should ever remem¬ 
ber the emphatic command given by our Lord in His Great 
Sermon on the Mount: “Beware of false prophets.”—Matt. 
7 : 15 . 


PART II 


FOREWORD 

The visions of Daniel in their vast prophetic range take 
us from his time to the end of time, and give both Jew and 
Gentile a fine knowledge of the important affairs of the world, 
culminating in the present Kingdom of Heaven, which is 
given to the saints of God on this earth. 













THE DREAM OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR 


According to Josephus, Nebuchadnezzar reigned 43 years. 
He may well be regarded as one of the most outstanding per¬ 
sonalities of all history. In 605, he was sent by his father 
Nabopolassar to chastise Pharaoh-necho, King of Egypt, 
whom he defeated at the famous battle of Carchemish on 
the Euphrates. (Jer. 46:2-12.) Nebuchadnezzar “made 
three incursions into Judaea. The first in the reign of 
Jehoiakim (606 B. C.), he reduced the Theocracy to a trib¬ 
utary of the world power, Babylonian. Daniel was one of the 
captives brought to Babylon at that very time. At the second 
inroad (598 B. C.), King Jehoiakim and the prophet Ezekiel 
were led into captivity. In the third (588 B. C.), Nebuchad¬ 
nezzar destroyed at last the Holy City, brought the Jewish 
King in fetters to Babylon; and thus the kingdom came to 
an end.”—Homiletical Com. Daniel, p. 13. 

Now, about the year 603 B.C., this mighty monarch had 
a dream. Strange to say, when he awoke he had only the 
memory of it, but not the dream itself. However, Babylon 
had many kinds of learned professors of high repute. There 
were the magicians who knew how to interpret dreams and 
how to work miracles by magic, the astrologers who studied 
the heavens and watched the moving planets, the sorcerers 
who held converse with spirits, the soothsayers who dis¬ 
cerned destiny from stellar arrangements at birth, and the 
Chaldeans, the learned and wise men of the empire. All 
these were summoned in haste into the presence of his 
majesty, and were required to give not only the interpretation, 
but also the dream. This double demand was declared by 
the wise men to be unreasonable and impossible. They 
assured the king of the interpretation, if he would tell his 
dream. At this the king became “angry and very furious, 
and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.” 
In carrying out the decree the officers “sought Daniel and 
his fellows to be slain.” Then Daniel being informed by 
Arioch, Captain of the king’s body-guard, went to Nebuchad- 


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nezzar and desired time, promising to give the interpretation. 
At once Daniel informed his companions of the serious situa¬ 
tion—“That they would desire mercies of the God of 
Heaven concerning this secret.” In answer to prayer the 
matter was “revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then 
he blessed the God of Heaven . . . and said, Blessed be 

the Name of God forever and ever: for wisdom and might 
are his,” and the heart of the prophet overflowed with joy and 
gladness, as he rendered worship, adoration, and thanks¬ 
giving to the God of his fathers. This fine anthem of praise 
is recorded in verses 20-23. 

Immediately, Arioch is informed. Daniel is hurried into 
the imperial presence and the officer says, “I have found a 
man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto 
the king the interpretation.” Then the king answered and 
said to Daniel, “Art thou able to make known unto me the 
dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof? 
Daniel answered . . . and said, The secret which the 

king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the 
magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; But there is 
a God in Heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to 
the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. 
Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are 
these; As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy 
mind . . . what shall come to pass. But as for me, this 

secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more 
than any living, but . . . that thou mightest know the 

thoughts of thy heart.” 


The Image 

“Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This 
great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before 
thee; and the form thereof was terrible. This image’s head 
was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly 
and his thighs of brass, His legs of iron, his feet part of iron 
and part of clay. Thou sawest till a stone was cut out with¬ 
out hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of 
iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, 
the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces 


The Dream of Nebuchadnezzar 


51 


together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing- 
floors ; and the wind carried them away, that no place was 
found for them: and the stone that smote the image became 
a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.”—Verses 31-35. 

The Interpretation 

“This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation 
thereof before the king.”—Verse 36. 

“Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of 
Heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and 
glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the 
beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given 
into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. 
Thou art this head of gold. And after thee shall arise 
another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom 
of brass, which shall be ruler over all the earth. And the 
fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron 
breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that 
breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. And 
whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, 
and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there 
shall be in it of the strength of iron, forasmuch as thou 
sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the 
feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall 
be partly strong and partly broken. And whereas thou 
sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle them¬ 
selves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one 
to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.”—Verses 
37-43. 


The Babylonian Empire 

During the reign of Nebuchadnezzar the Babylonian 
Empire extended from the Tigris to the Dardanelles and to 
the Nile. His great armies had far-flung lines of conquest, 
and made Babylon the treasure house of the world. The city 
was built on both sides of the Euphrates, and they were 
connected by a tunnel under the river and a bridge over it. 
The city was in the form of a square enclosed by a double 
line of high walls, the extent of the outer wall being about 56 


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miles. The entire area thus enclosed was about 200 square 
miles. Also, according to Herodotus, the height of the wall 
was 337feet, but according to Ctesias, a Greek historian, it 
was 300 feet high. Herodotus gives 85 feet as the width of 
the wall. Morever, it was strengthened by 250 towers and 
had 100 brazen gates. The houses, which were three or four 
stories high, were laid out in straight streets crossing one 
another at right angles. It was especially adorned with the 
temple of Belus, the imperial palace, and the Hanging 
Gardens, which were one of the Seven Wonders of the 
world. It was the golden city of antiquity. 

The Medo-Persian Empire 

About 538 B.C., Babylon, in the time of Belshazzar, was 
taken by Cyrus, who by diverting the waters of the Eu¬ 
phrates, was able to take his army on the bed of the river 
under the great walls of the city. Daniel himself, in 
Chapter 5, gives a very graphic description of the awful 
night of feasting and carnage that marked the fall of the 
wicked city. This the second of the great kingdoms was very 
extensive. “It stretched from the Indus to the farthest limits 
of Asia Minor, and from the Caspian Sea to the Persian 
Gulf.”—Myers’ Gen. Hist., p. 75. Yet its breasts and arms 
were only silver; therefore this kingdom was inferior to 
golden headed Babylon. But it must be remembered that 
Cyrus was the great and good monarch who allowed the 
Jews to return to their own land. Indeed, Cyrus was named 
and his coming predicted by Isaiah (44:28 and 45:1) in the 
year 712 B. C., which would be nearly 150 years before his 
birth. “Xenophon, who wished to draw the character of a 
model person, made choice of Cyrus.”—Barnes, p. 41. 

The Greek Empire 

“This is the third, the kingdom of brass. It was founded 
by Alexander the Great. In the spring of 334 B.C., he set 
out at the head of an army of thirty-five thousand men for 
the conquest of the Persian Empire . . . Crossing the 

Hellespont, Alexander routed the Persian hosts at the im¬ 
portant battle of Granicus, by which victory all Asia Minor 


The Dream of Nebuchadnezzar 53 

was laid open to the invader.”—Myers’ Gen. Hist., p. 162. 
Next year, in 333 B.C., at the northeast corner of the 
Mediterranean, he won the great battle of Issus, defeating an 
army of 600,000 men. Then in 332 he took Tyre. After 
that he made himself master of Egypt, and founded the city 
of Alexandria. Then he went down to the celebrated temple 
and oracle of Zens Ammon, where the flattering priests, to 
gratify his vanity, “gave out that the oracle pronounced 
Alexander to be the Son of Zeus Ammon and the destined 
ruler of the world.”—Ibid., p. 163. Again he “recommenced 
his march toward the Persian capital.” In reply to offers of 
peace, from Darius, he replied: “There cannot be two suns 
in the heavens.” Having crossed the Euphrates and the 
Tigris, on the plain of Arbela, near ancient Nineveh, he again 
defeated Darius, who had an immense army. “Again the 
Macedonian phalanx cut through the ranks of the Persians 
as a boat cuts through the waves.”—Ibid., p. 164. 

The Roman Empire 

This kingdom is well represented by iron, which is a base 
metal, and clay. By the strong arm of Rome the cold steel 
entered the very heart of nations in Europe, Asia and Africa. 
The legal Roman will-power was strong and cruel in govern¬ 
ment. It did break in pieces many kingdoms. Of this power¬ 
ful warlike people, Gibbon thus speaks: “The arms of the 
Republic, sometimes vanquished in battle, always victorious 
in war, advanced with rapid steps to the Euphrates, the 
Danube, the Rhine, and the ocean, and the images of gold, 
or silver, or brass, that might serve to represent the nations 
and their kings, were successively broken by the iron 
monarchy of Rome.”—Barnes on Revelation, p. 148. Mith- 
ridates in Asia Minor, Hannibal in Africa, and Caractacus in 
far off Britain felt the sledge-hammer blows of relentless 
Rome. 

As world-powers Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece had 
rather brief careers of domination when compared with that 
of Rome. Imperial Rome was founded in 753 B.C. and her 
Fall was in 476 A.D. The sum of these dates is 1,229 years. 
But she did not enter upon campaigns of conquest till the 


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time of the Punic Wars which took place between 264 B.C. 
and 201 B.C. It may, therefore, be said that for nearly 700 
years the Eternal City was the Mistress of the World. 

But the iron never mixed with clay. Her victorious 
armies marched into Europe, Asia, Africa. In Germany, 
Gaul, Spain, and even in Britain, the natives heard her 
conquering tread; but there was no mixing of races—no 
commingling of blood in family life. The Romans mingled 
as conquerors, but mixed not as fellow citizens. 

The Kingdom of God 

“And in the days of these kings shall the God of Heaven 
set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the 
kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break 
in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand 
forever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut 
out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces 
the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the 
great God hath made known to the king what shall come to 
pass hereafter: the dream is certain and the interpretation 
thereof sure.”—Verses 44, 45. 

Mankind must be taught by calamitous failures, during 
long centuries of unmitigated disasters, that our own right¬ 
eousness is as filthy rags and that of ourselves we are utterly 
unfit for self-government. Consequently, after allowing 
mortals to witness the total collapse of all their attempts 
to govern this mundane sphere aright, our Merciful Heavenly 
Father, on this sin-cursed earth, sets up a “kingdom of right¬ 
eousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” Under 
this glorious Theocracy, established in the hearts of men, 
the financial and social, the moral and spiritual chaos of a 
fallen world will be divinely ordered and clarified as in the 
days of creation the vapors and mists were dissipated and 
the blue ethereal firmament of our heaven appeared. This 
restitution—restoration—will give regenerated humanity a 
blessed Paradise, a vestibule of our celestial and eternal 
Home. 

But when will occur the initial stages of this happy period 
in our history ? The prophet predicted: “And in the days 
of these kings shall the God of Heaven set up a kingdom, 


The Dream of Nebuchadnezzar 


55 


which shall never be destroyed.”—v. 44. The natural and 
necessary inference is that the inauguration events of this 
Divine Government will take place about the close of the 
world’s failures. Mark, the prediction says, “In the days of 
these kings” or kingdoms. That means before the destruc¬ 
tion of the last of the four wicked monarchies—before the 
Fall of the Roman Empire. This great calamity took place 
in 476 A.D. Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven was set up 
before that date. 

Now, what are the all-important events that happened 
during the closing centuries of the last world-power, and 
that can properly be regarded as sufficiently significant to 
mark the beginning of this Kingdom of Heaven? Most cer¬ 
tainly the Advent of the well-beloved Son of God at His 
first Coming to reveal the love of God to man in a blessed 
life and atoning death, in a triumphant resurrection and a 
glorious ascension, and also the Descent of the Holy Spirit 
on the Day of Pentecost inaugurating the New Dispensation, 
and also the blessed and extensive triumphs of our Holy 
Christianity during the first two or three centuries of our 
Christian Era—most certainly these most glorious events 
supply absolutely sufficient data for the inauguration of the 
Kingdom of Heaven: for the foregoing are the supreme 
events of all human history. Thus the Lord Himself by His 
first Advent, by the Descent of the Holy Spirit, the Third 
Person of the Holy Trinity, on the Day of Pentecost, and 
by the wonderful ministries of the apostolic Church, has 
shown us the days (mark the plural, days) that were the 
closing periods of the fourth monarchy, and that witnessed 
the initial stages of the Kingdom of Heaven. 

Also, the Lord says, “It shall never be destroyed.” This 
Kingdom is now in the hearts of all true believers. Also, it 
will endure through all the centuries of time and all the 
cycles of eternity; for “the gates of hell shall never prevail 
against it” either now or in the endless hereafter. 

Further, this “Kingdom shall not be left to other people.” 
It will never be taken out of the hands of the Almighty. 
The blessed assurance of this is given by the Saviour Him¬ 
self. “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall 
never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my 


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hand: My Father, which gave them to me, is greater than 
all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s 
hand.”—Jno. 10:28, 29. The Caesars lost Rome, Alexander’s 
family did not retain the sceptre of Greece, and Belshazzar 
died in the fall of Babylon. Also where are the Hapsburgs, 
the Romanoffs, the Hohenzollerns, and the Sultans, and who 
rule over their empires ? But this glorious Kingdom of 
Heaven is the everlasting possession of the Most High. 
“The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the 
everlasting arms.”—Deu. 33:27. “But it shall break in 
pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand 
forever.” 


The Miraculous Stone 

“Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of 
the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the 
iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great 
God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass 
hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation 
thereof sure.”—Dan. 2:45. 

This is a miraculous stone. It “was cut out of the moun¬ 
tain without hands.” Christians can say: “We have a build¬ 
ing of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the 
heavens.”—2 Cor. 5:1. In this mysterious stone a super¬ 
natural power is at work. Miracles are the very life of 
Christianity. Prophecy is a miracle of knowledge, and con¬ 
version is a most glorious miracle of grace. The Church 
was founded on miracles. How otherwise could the Twelve 
Apostles take the world for Christ? Well might the angel 
say to Zerubbabel: “Not by might, nor by power, but by 
my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.”—Zee. 4:6. The miracu¬ 
lous is everywhere in evidence in this glorious Gospel. Jesus 
Christ Himself was a supernatural Person, “conceived by the 
Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary.” To the eye of the 
natural man, the Saviour was “a root out of a dry ground”; 
but to the archangels He was the Eternal Son of the Lord 
God Almighty. Also, the pure in heart have views of His 
Miraculous glorification. Further, the disciples were mi- 


The Dream of Nebuchadnezzar 


57 


raculously qualified for world evangelism. “But ye shall 
receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.” 
—Acts 1:8. 

This miraculous Stone, as it moved, conquered and 
crushed. The gold, the silver, the brass, the iron, and the 
clay were all ground to powder, and became as chaff under 
its ponderous weight and irresistible force. Indeed, Chris¬ 
tianity has already become the greatest moral power on this 
earth. Even great Germany could not stand up against the 
enlightened public sentiment of Christendom. A celestial 
illumination is filling the minds of men, and unmistakably 
intimating that ultimately the Teachings of our Blessed Lord 
will dominate both the thought and activity of mankind. 
World-wide Empire is the inheritance of our glorious 
Christianity. 

Further, “The Stone that smote the image became a great 
mountain, and filled the whole earth.”—v. 35. Evidently, the 
destiny of Christianity is universal supremacy. The time is 
coming when the universal proclamation will be made: “And 
the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in 
Heaven saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the 
Kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ and He shall reign 
forever and ever.”—Rev. 11:15. The evangelical prophet 
looking down the long vista of centuries in faith, saw this 
glad day, and announced: “The earth shall be full of the 
knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”—Is. 
11:7. 

The Psalmist predicted what the evangelist recorded: 
“The stone which the builders rejected is become the head¬ 
stone of the corner.”—Ps. 118:22. The same idea is ex¬ 
pressed by Paul: “Jesus Christ Himself being the chief 
corner stone.”—Eph. 2:20. Peter had the miraculous idea: 
“To whom coming as to a living Stone.”—1 Peter 2:4. Paul 
speaking of Israel in the wilderness says: “They drank of 
that spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was 
Christ.”—1 Cor. 10:4. The Saviour says: “Upon this 
Rock [Himself] I will build my Church; and the gates of 
hell shall not prevail against it.”—Matt. 16:18. The rocks 
are the foundations of continents and mountains, and a stone 


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is a fine symbol of the solidarity and eternity of the kingdom 
of God. Sad thought—to the wicked it is “a stone of stum¬ 
bling, and a rock of offence.”—1 Peter 2 :8. But the Chris¬ 
tian rejoices to sing: 

“Rock of Ages, cleft for me, 

Let me hide myself in Thee; 

Let the water and the blood, 

From thy wounded side which flowed, 

Be of sin the double cure, 

Save from wrath and make me pure.” 


The Purpose of This Wonderful Dream 

It is to focalize our attention on three things; namely— 

1. That the Supreme Being allowed fallen humanity a 
period of 4,000 years wherein man might do his utmost on 
empire building, and might be convinced, after four world¬ 
wide examples of total disaster, of his own utter inability to 
establish and maintain financial and educational, social and 
moral normal conditions in every order of society and sphere 
of human activity and thought. The awful wreckage of 
democracies, republics, kingdoms, and empires, scattered 
through all the centuries of the past, loudly proclaims that 
man unaided by the Lord cannot govern himself. 

2. That it is necessary for the Most High Himself to 
establish a Kingdom founded upon truth and righteousness, 
upon the principles of Christianity, if the world is to be 
saved from total wreck on the shores of time. 

3. That the Lord laid the foundations of His glorious 
Kingdom in the time of Augustus, whose peaceful and 
prosperous reign of forty-five years marked the culmination 
of Rome’s greatness. It was during his reign that the King of 
the Jews was born, that our Blessed Lord made His first 
Advent. The prediction in the dream was: “And in the 
days of these kingdoms shall the God of Heaven set up a 
Kingdom”; that is, before these kingdoms will have passed 
away, this divinely founded kingdom will be set up. Any 
other explanation is simply absurd. Therefore, towards the 
end of the great world-monarchy failures, God sent His 
Beloved Son to redeem the world from the powers of evil 


The Dream of Nebuchadnezzar 


59 


and sent His Holy Spirit to show by the conversion of 
thousands that the kingdom had already been set up in the 
hearts of believers and would ultimately fill the world with 
the saved of the Lord. The great truth established in this 
dream is—The Kingdom of God was set up on this earth 
on the Day of Pentecost, and will ultimately give the world 
its millennium, its Golden Age of peace and plenty in the 
fear and love of the Heavenly Father. “Holy, Holy, Holy, 
Lord God of hosts, Heaven and earth are full of thy glory: 
Glory be to thee, O Lord most High. Amen.” 


VISION OF THE FOUR ANCIENT 
MONARCHIES 


DANIEL 

Daniel, like his illustrious predecessor Moses, must have 
been a person of deep piety, rare ability, profound learning, 
and vast knowledge of world affairs. He was prime minister 
under Nebuchadnezzar for about forty years, and was the 
fourth of the greater prophets. Though nothing is known of 
his family, he appears, however, “to have been of royal or 
noble descent.” He was taken to Babylon in 604 B.C. His 
fidelity to his religion showed itself in his refusal to eat of 
the rich food provided by the king. In his examination 
Daniel proved that he had made good use of his time during 
the three years’ course of study prescribed by Nebuchad¬ 
nezzar. 

His first great test came when he was called upon to 
interpret the image dream. At that time, when he was 
quite a young man, he was made the “ruler of the whole 
province of Babylon” and “chief of the governors over all 
the wise men of Babylon.” He also interpreted the dream 
of the great tree, and faithfully told the king that its cutting 
down betokened humiliation to Nebuchadnezzar himself. 
Then, in his old age he explained to Belshazzar and his drink¬ 
ing revellers the handwriting on the wall, on that memorable 
evening of the awful night of the taking of Babylon by the 
Medo-Persian army under Cyrus. 

Also, “at the accession of Darius, he was made first of the 
three presidents” of the empire. It was under this Darius 
that he was cast into the lions’ den. Thus, even to old age 
and after a long political career, amid the corrupting 
influences of a most wicked court, he maintained his integrity 
and his purity of life. And, since from the beginning the 
wicked have hated the righteous, the Medo-Persian heathen 
nobles entered into a conspiracy to destroy Daniel by having 
him thrown into the lions’ den. 



Vision of Four Ancient Monarchies 61 

Though there was a decree forbidding prayer to “any 
God or man,” yet Daniel, as his custom was, went into his 
chamber with his windows open towards Jerusalem, and 
kneeling upon his knees, offered prayer three times a day. 
Thus “he prayed and gave thanks before his God,” and was 
cast into the lions’ den. No prayerless statesman could give 
the world such a life work as that of Daniel. 

In the third year of Cyrus (B. C. 534), he saw his last 
wonderful vision on the banks of the Tigris (Dan. 10:1, 4). 
Thus the prophet had a career of about seventy years, and 
during all that time, his heathen enemies on their own confes¬ 
sion, could find no fault in his various and many administra¬ 
tions of public affairs. Even when Daniel was an old man, it 
it said: “It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hun¬ 
dred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole 
kingdom; And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel 
was first.”—Dan. 6:1,2. He was the great prime minister of 
two of the four great monarchies of antiquity, and, there¬ 
fore, is the model statesman of all time. 

There has been what might be called concerted action on 
the part of destructive critics to make myths of Daniel and 
Moses, and to discredit their writings. Agnostics under the 
guise of criticism have tried their utmost to put both Moses 
and Daniel into the category of mythological personages. 
But these gratuitous assertions are easily answered. In the 
case of Moses, who is mentioned by name nearly one thousand 
times in the Bible, it is simply insanity to deny his reality. If 
Moses is only a fictitious character, then, concerning him 
alone, there are about one thousand falsehoods in the Holy 
Scriptures. As the geometrician would say, that involves a 
reductio ad absurdum. 

In reference to Daniel, it can be said that he is regarded 
as a real person by the vast millions of Mohammedans 
throughout the world. In like manner the great Greek 
Church of all the Russias and the Roman Catholic Church 
with its millions of adherents and the great Protestant 
Churches of Europe and America regard Daniel as a real 
person. For 2,400 years, with the exception of one Porphyry 
(A. D. 233-C304), a defender of Paganism and a violent 


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opponent of Christianity, both jews and Christians have 
regarded Daniel as the author of the fourth great prophecy. 
This Porphyry thought that the book of Daniel was written 
in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes about 168-165 B. C. 
Then in 1806-8, Bertholdt began his opposition to the Daniel 
authorship, and, of course, all infidels were anxious to de¬ 
stroy this wonderful prophecy with its miracles of knowl¬ 
edge in its wonderfully minute predictions—with its super¬ 
natural dreams and visions. 

Even Dr. Pusey says: “The writer, were he not Daniel, 
must have lied on a most frightful scale, ascribing to God 
words which were never uttered, and miracles which are 
assumed never to have been wrought. In a word, the whole 
book would be one lie in the name of God.”—Horn. Com. 
Daniel, p. 3. 

This wonderful vision was given in the first year of 
Belshazzar’s reign, and it is recorded in Ch. 7. 

Babylon 

It begins, “Behold the four winds of heaven strove upon 
the great sea.” In one sense this sea may mean the Mediter¬ 
ranean, which was the center of the great ancient world 
kingdoms. But in a higher sense the sea represents peoples 
and nations, while the winds represent the contending forces 
of world powers. 

Four strange appearing “beasts come up from the sea.” 
“The first was like a lion and had eagle’s wings.” Winged 
animals are common among the sculptured forms of Nineveh 
and Persepolis. Sardanapalus, an Assyrian King, once 
boasted: “I broke the winged lions and bulls watching over 
the temple, all there were.” 

But after a time the wings were plucked off the lion, “and 
it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the 
feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.” This 
refers to Babylon and especially to Nebuchadnezzar. As 
Babylon is the “golden head” of the great image spoken of 
in the second chapter, its proper symbol here is the lion, the 
king of beasts. The wings certainly indicate rapid marches 
and widely extended influence. When Nabopolassar died— 


Vision of Four Ancient Monarchies 63 

he was the father of Nebuchadnezzar—his kingdom included 
Chaldea, Assyria, Arabia, Syria and Palestine. Then Nebu¬ 
chadnezzar added Egypt and Tyre. To have accomplished all 
this, there must have been numberless forced marches and 
extensive military expeditions. 

But the latter part of verse four needs explanation: “I 
beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted 
up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, 
and a man’s heart was given to it.” 

Of course, when the sudden stroke of the Almighty de¬ 
prived Nebuchadnezzar of reason, all military operations 
came to a standstill. There were no more foreign cam¬ 
paigns and the conquering armies of Babylon ceased to wage 
war. What caused this change in the national policy? Fig¬ 
uratively speaking, the wings had been plucked from the de¬ 
mented monarch, and apparently there was no great leader 
to take his place. Then on his restoration, when reason re¬ 
turned, Nebuchadnezzar was no longer a beast of prey among 
the nations of the earth, but a God-fearing ruler that de¬ 
voutly worshiped the Most High. He was lifted up and 
stood as a rational human being before his Maker, and 
became an intelligent king possessing a sympathetic heart and 
having a regard for the welfare of mankind. Here Nebu¬ 
chadnezzar’s remarkable conversion and its beneficent con¬ 
sequences are well represented. Evidently, this part of the 
Apocalypse was fulfilled by Babylon and its mighty monarch. 

Medo-Persia 

The second beast was like a bear—more sluggish and not 
so noble as the lion. In this part of the prophecy is repre¬ 
sented the Medo-Persian Empire, which in the great image 
is represented by the breast and arms of silver. This bear 
raises itself up “on one side.” The two sides, the two arms, 
and, in a succeeding vision, the two horns will symbolize the 
dual nature of this world power. At first the Medes had 
the pre-eminence, then the Persians under the Great Cyrus 
obtained leadership, and are the more prominent in these 
visions. 


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In the mouth of this bear are three ribs. Commentators 
generally believe that these ribs represent three nations, 
namely, Babylon, Egypt and Lydia—Lydia whose capital 
was Sardis and one of whose kings was the fabulously rich 
Croesus. 

The foregoing explanation is in harmony with a predic¬ 
tion made by Isaiah about 712 B. C.: “Behold I will stir 
up the Medes against them . . . and Babylon, the glory of 
kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldee’s excellency, shall be as 
when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.”—Is. 13:17-19. 
Again, Isaiah predicts: “Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media. 
Babylon is fallen, is fallen.”—Is. 21:2, 9. This must have 
been a case of plenary inspiration: for what could a prophet 
of Judah know of events that would take place east of the 
Tigris nearly 200 years after his death? 

Now, it was said to this bear, “Arise, devour much 
flesh.” The Medo-Persian Empire started on its high career 
with a great slaughter. Babylon was taken by strategy—The 
course of the Euphrates being changed, the besiegers entered 
by its bed and thus without the loss of a man, found them¬ 
selves in possession of the “golden city.” Just consider these 
facts: The city was given up to drunkenness and dissipa¬ 
tion, and drunken men are easily slain. It was night, the 
natural time for slaughter. Then, the besiegers were flushed 
with victory and their swords thirsted for blood. Also, they 
were not tired or worn out with a long siege; but in fulness 
of strength and lust for spoil, they filled the night with car¬ 
nage. We may well suppose that when the morning came, 
blood flowed everywhere and heaps of slain filled both palace 
and street. It is likely that the time of Babylon’s fall was 
the bloodiest night in the history of the world. 

In Persia’s wars with Greece, there must have been an 
awful loss of life. In the Battle of Marathon, 490 B. C., one 
of the great events of history, with a handful of Athenians, 
Miltiades put to flight the hosts of Darius. Then followed 
in 480-479 B. C., the battles of Thermopylae, Salamis and 
Plataea. It is said that after crossing the Hellespont into 
Europe, Xerxes numbered his forces and “found that the 
whole armament, both military and naval, consisted of 2,317,- 


Vision of Four Ancient Monarchies 65 

610 men.” Besides, the attendants are said to have been 
more in number than the fighting men. According to these 
figures, Xerxes was accompanied to Thermopylae by about 
5,000,000 persons ! But great disasters befell this vast invad¬ 
ing host which “was the largest ever assembled at any 
period of history.”—Smith’s Short His. of Greece. At Ther¬ 
mopylae the Persians were checked in their march by Leon¬ 
idas and his 300 Spartans. Then followed the naval disasters 
of Salamis where the splendid strategic ability of Themisto- 
cles won a decisive victory against great odds. At length, 
having suffered sad disasters on sea and land from crushing 
defeats, this mighty host dwindled away and only scattered 
fragments remained. 

Xenophon has given his opinion of the Persians and their 
allies—They “have evidently less piety toward the gods, less 
dutiful regard to their relatives, less justice and equity in 
their dealings with others, and at the same time are more 
effeminate and less fitted for war than they were at their 
commencement as a nation.”—The Preacher’s Homiletic 
Com. in loc. 

The foregoing interpretation regarding the bear as the 
symbol of the Medes and Persians is confirmed in verse 20 
of the next chapter, which reads: “The ram which thou 
sawest having two horns are the Kings of Media and Per¬ 
sia.” It is well to remember that the Medes and Persians 
constitute but one Empire in this Apocalypse. The Ritualists 
in the Protestant Episcopal Church in America and in the 
English Church in Europe, vainly attempting to defend their 
so-called apostolic succession, in discussing Daniel and Rev¬ 
elation, endeavor to ignore Pagan and Papal Rome, and to 
divide the Medo-Persian Empire into two kingdoms; so as 
to make up the number four—the number mentioned in the 
Bible. This is the great reason why we have so many very 
poor Commentaries on Daniel and Revelation. Then, of 
course, Premillennialism is also a very disturbing and er¬ 
roneous factor in prophetic interpretation. 


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Greece 

Let us now consider the third Beast. It was like a 
leopard, but it had four wings and four heads, and “domin¬ 
ion was given to it.” The leopard spots indicate the hetero¬ 
geneity of the Grecian Empire. From the Nile to the Tigris, 
and from the Danube to the Indus, its vast and diversified 
rule extended. Many nationalities came under its sway. 

This Beast had four wings. Certainly with marvellous 
celerity, Alexander swept over the earth. The great Mace¬ 
donian was born in 356 B. C. In 334 B. C. as a young man 
of about twenty-two, he led an army across the Hellespont 
into Asia Minor, and at the river Granicus with only 35,000 
soldiers he put to flight the Persians. In the next year, 333 
B.C., at the battle of Issus, at the northeast corner of the 
Mediterranean, he put to flight an army of over half a million 
under Darius Codomannus. This Persian host “is said to 
have consisted of 600,000 fighting men, besides all that train 
of attendants which usually accompanied the march of a Per¬ 
sian monarch.” Then Alexander turned south and after a 
terrible siege of six months, took the island city of Tyre, 
which had resisted the might of Nebuchadnezzar for thirteen 
years. Soon Gaza fell before his cruel and dreadful on¬ 
slaughts. After this he hastened away to Egypt, and con¬ 
quered and founded the city of Alexandria. 

Now, leaving Egypt, he hastens on to Jerusalem and 
pays a flying visit to the Temple, where the high priest, un¬ 
derstanding Daniel’s prophecies, shows Alexander the pre¬ 
dictions referring to Greece and Persia. Here is a case 
when a prediction was of great service to God’s ancient peo¬ 
ple. They knew from the Sacred Writings that Greece was 
going to conquer Persia. Accordingly, they received Alex¬ 
ander as a conqueror, which pleased him very much and 
caused him to treat God’s Word, priests, Temple, city and 
people with great consideration. Also, we may well suppose 
that the Jews in Alexandria in Egypt felt the kindly influ¬ 
ence of Alexander’s gracious treatment of their Holy City, 
Jerusalem. 

Now, this hasty youthful conqueror pushes on through 
Palestine and Syria to the Euphrates, and on across Meso- 


Vision of Four Ancient Monarchies 67 

potamia and the Tigris river, east of ancient Nineveh; and 
here was fought the memorable battle of Arbela in 331 B. C., 
which settled the supremacy of the West over the East. At 
this battle the Persians were twenty times more numerous 
than the Greeks. 

From Arbela he went away south to Babylon, then away 
east to Ecbatana in pursuit of Darius. “Alexander, with his 
main body, then pursued Darius through Media by forced 
marches, and reached Ragae, a distance of three hundred 
miles from Ecbatana, in eleven days. Such was the rapidity 
of the march that many men and horses died of fatigue.”— 
Smith’s S. Hist, of G., p. 195. “The next three years were 
employed by Alexander in subduing Hyrcania, Drangiana, 
Bactria, and Sogdiana, and other northern and distant prov¬ 
inces of the Persian Empire.”—Ibid., p. 195. Alexander 
pushed on north, crossed the Jaxartes River and defeated the 
Scythians. Then he turned and crossed the Indus, overran 
the whole of the Punjab and desired to extend his conquests 
to the Ganges. At length his “army worn out by fatigue and 
dangers, positively refused to proceed any farther, although 
Alexander passionately desired to attack” another powerful 
Indian monarch. The home journey by the mouth of the 
Indus River was long and perilous. “Alexander himself pro¬ 
ceeded with his army in the autumn of 326, through the 
burning deserts of Gedrosia towards Persepolis, marching 
himself on foot, and sharing the privations and fatigues of 
the meanest soldier.” 

During these rapid and headlong marches which touched 
the three continents of the Eastern Hemisphere, marvellous 
speed must have been attained. On one occasion the de¬ 
fenders of a stronghold asked the Greeks, “Can Alexander, 
who can do all things, fly also?” Afterward, it was said, 
“You see, Alexander’s soldiers have wings.” 

But what explanation can be given concerning the four 
heads of this leopard? 

Not long after the close of these far-extending cam¬ 
paigns, the mighty conqueror drank himself to death, leaving 
the affairs of his vast empire in much confusion. His gen- 


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erals quarreled, his wife Roxana and his posthumous son 
were murdered, and finally his dominion was divided into 
four parts as follows: 

1. Cassander received Macedon and Greece; 2. Lysim- 
achus, Thrace and Asia Minor; 3. Ptolemy, Egypt, Pales¬ 
tine, and Arabia Petrea; 4. Seleucus, Syria and the Eastern 
Empire. 

Thus has been fulfilled, and to the letter, the Scripture 
predictions in reference to the third beast—the leopard 
of the vision. 


Rome 

Let us now look at the fourth Beast which is so horrible 
in appearance as to defy description. 

In verse 7, this “dreadful, and terrible, and strong” beast 
is brought to view. “It had great iron teeth,” “devoured, 
brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with” its feet. The 
symbolism is alarming and one cannot fail to recognize Pagan 
Rome, the “Imperial City,” which has sometimes been called 
the “Eternal City,” and which for over 700 years was the 
“Mistress of the World.” Yet Rome was a base kingdom 
and its place in the great image is among the legs of iron 
and toes of iron and clay. Look again at this hideous mon¬ 
ster. It is so heterogeneous as to make illustration from 
nature impossible: it is diverse from all beasts. The fulfil¬ 
ment of this strange heterogeneity is found in the various 
forms of government under which Rome existed. 

1. First, it had seven kings—from Romulus to Tar- 
quinius Superbus. 

2. Then in 509 B. C., a Republic was established. 

3. In 451 B. C., the Decemvirs were appointed, and for 
a time the laws of the “Twelve Tables” were in force. 

4. At length “Civil War” broke out, and with the Grac¬ 
chi perished the “freedom of the Republic.” 

5. In 49 B. C., there arose the cruel conflict between 
Caesar and Pompey. 

6. From 48 B. C. to 96 A. D., when Domitian died, was 
the period of the “Twelve Caesars.” 


Vision of Four Ancient Monarchies 69 

7. Then followed the “Five Good Emperors,” whose 
united reigns lasted 100 years. These wise rulers governed 
during the blessed revival times of the post-apostolic minis¬ 
try, when the Primitive Church was evangelizing throughout 
the then known world. The prayers of the Christians for 
kings and all persons in authority, prevailed, and the Lord 
placed righteous rulers upon the throne in the city of the 
“Seven Hills.” 

From the foregoing, one sees that Rome was governed 
by Kings, Consuls, Dictators, Triumvirs, and Generals. Both 
patricians and plebeians, both imperialists and republicans 
had turns at government. This was in truth a spotted politi¬ 
cal Beast. 

Moreover, the monster had iron teeth. How many mil¬ 
lions were crushed between the jaws of this relentless world- 
power ! In Europe, Asia and Africa, rivers of human blood 
were shed by Rome’s conquering legions that spread sorrow 
and devastation wherever they marched. This fourth pagan 
power devoured, did break in pieces, and did trample under 
foot the peoples of many lands. From the Grampian Hills 
in Scotland to the Pyramids in Egypt, and away to the 
banks of the Indus flew her eagle standards in resistless in¬ 
vasions. For long centuries Rome was the tyrant of the 
human race. 

But what mean these ten horns? It is generally sup¬ 
posed that they represent the kingdoms into which the vast 
empire was ultimately divided. In Barnes’ Notes you will 
find the following list of ten kingdoms : “The Vandals, Alans, 
Suevi, Heruli, Franks, Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Burgundians, 
Lombards, Britons.” 

There is another enumeration according to which these 
kingdoms were—Syria, Asia, Egypt, Africa, Greece, Italy, 
Germany, France, Spain, and England. Upon close investi¬ 
gation it will be seen that these lists do not vary so very 
much. It is well known that at the fall of the Roman Em¬ 
pire, it naturally did split up into many smaller kingdoms. 
Of course, time changes names and boundaries: but we may 
be well assured that the prediction was fulfilled. 


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But at present a great deal of interest centers in the 
“Little Horn that quietly appeared among the ten horns.” 
Its antitype is evidently the cruel Antiochus Epiphanes, who 
is also described by Daniel as a “Little Horn.” This King 
reigned at Antioch in Syria from 175 to 164 B. C. He most 
wickedly persecuted the Jews, took Jerusalem, “profaned the 
altar by the sacrifice of a swine,” “sprinkled the broth of 
swine’s flesh over the whole sanctuary, polluted the Holy of 
Holies with filth,” and robbed the Temple of its sacred 
treasures. 

The Apostate Kingdom 

The rise of this second “Little Horn,” which is here 
spoken of, is most peculiar. At this time Daniel must have 
enjoyed plenary inspiration for strange events are minutely 
delineated. It is interesting to read about the rise of the 
Papacy and to observe how accurately events have been pre¬ 
dicted. 

The fall of the Western Empire in 496 A. D. left Rome 
open for exploitation by greedy and unscrupulous bishops: 
for at this time Constantinople became the capital of the 
whole Empire. This robbed the “Eternal City” of both mil¬ 
itary and political significance. Satan was not slow at seeing 
his great opportunity, and inflated the prelates of the 
Holy (?) Roman See with pride and arrogance. Forthwith 
they began to assume universal and absolute control of the 
Church. Laymen were excluded from all ecclesiastical coun¬ 
cils, while pompous pontiffs and base minded bishops se¬ 
cured in their own names the title deeds to all Church prop¬ 
erty; and then lorded it over God’s heritage to the great in¬ 
jury of Christendom. Thus Pagan Rome became Papal 
Rome: and the heathen Beast was succeeded by the more 
horrible apostate Beast. Then Satan secured the finest pedes¬ 
tal in the world for his antichrist propaganda. During the 
Dark Ages, in unrestrained wickedness, this hypocritical, ec¬ 
clesiastical diabolism descended to the lowest depths of 
human depravity and for over 1,200 years has done its utmost 
to overthrow our holy Christian religion. 

We have seen that on the breaking up of the Western 
Empire, ten kingdoms arose, three of which were afterward 


Vision of Four Ancient Monarchies 71 

absorbed by this “Little Horn.” Sir Isaac Newton supposed 
that these three “were the Exarchate of Ravenna, the Lom¬ 
bards, and the senate and dukedom of Rome.”—Barnes. It 
is true that these temporal powers were absorbed by the 
Papacy, and in a certain sense they may be the ones immedi¬ 
ately referred to. But some prophecies have a double fulfil¬ 
ment, and if this is of that kind, in the wider sense the refer¬ 
ence would be to Spain, the land of the bloody Inquisition; 
to France, long called the “eldest son of the Church,” and to 
Austria, for centuries designated the “Holy Roman Em¬ 
pire.” These three kingdoms, in so far as education and lib¬ 
erty, morality and true religion are concerned, were plucked 
up by the roots and utterly destroyed. But a brighter day is 
dawning. France has well-nigh secured her emancipation 
from the Papacy, Spain is battling with the “Man of Sin” 
for her very life, while poor, distressed Austria has been 
paralyzed by the abominable hierarchy. 

This “Little Horn” has eyes. The probable reference is 
to the confessional. This iniquitous institution provides 
priests with free and full information. These wily father 
confessors know how to coin money out of a nefarious busi¬ 
ness and charge for receiving information. Through Catho¬ 
lic servants and neighbors, we all pass under the glare of 
papal espionage eyes. Thus, through the vile confessional, 
Rome has a perfect and paying spy system. 

But listen to this “Little Horn” as it speaks softly in 
mock humility, and then hear its loud “bulls” of terrorizing 
curses and anathemas. Hear, also the pontiffs’ blasphemous 
claims to infallibility and temporal and spiritual supremacy. 
These mendacious and audacious successors of St. Peter wear 
a triple crown and would fain be lords of earth and Heaven 
and hell. This “man of sin” arrogates to himself great titles 
and must be called “His Holiness” and “the Vicar of Christ 
on Earth.” Indeed, “princes are bound to kiss his feet.” 

In 1155 Adrian IV required the emperor Frederick to 
hold his stirrup while he mounted his horse, and declared to 
the emperor himself: “To place your name before ours is 
arrogance—is insolence.” Pope Nicholas asserted: “The 
pope is styled God by the pious princes, and it is manifest 


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God cannot be judged by man.” In reference to the Holy 
Scriptures, Pope Gregory made this impious assertion: “The 
holy and inspired fathers and teachers and the Six Councils 
in Christ—these are our Scriptures and our light of salva¬ 
tion.” 

Again, Romanism has the “stout look.” There is a marked 
difference between the facial expression of a heathen assem¬ 
bly and that of a Christian congregation. Take a look at a 
fine anti-saloon convention and then turn your gaze upon a 
mob of saloon keepers! There is a difference between “him 
that serveth God and him that serveth Him not.” Now, turn 
your attention to those priests that stand behind papist altars 
and you will see “stout” looking specimens of the genus 
homo. The very brand of Satan seems to be on their non- 
spirituelle carcasses. 

Further, Romanism has achieved unparalleled success in 
making war upon the “saints of the Most High.” “In Ire¬ 
land 150,000 persons are said to have been massacred in one 
province, in virtue of a papal edict, dated May 25, 1643, in 
which the Pope granted a full and plenary indulgence and 
absolute remission of all their sins ‘to all the Christians in 
the kingdom of Ireland, so long as they should war against 
the heretics and other enemies of the Catholic faith.’ ”—The 
Preachers’ Homiletic Com. on Dan. Many sad stories might 
be told of the poor, persecuted Covenanters in Scotland. 
The work of Bloody Mary in England will never be forgot¬ 
ten. In France in 1572 there occurred the St. Bartholomew 
Massacre when in thirty days, 30,000 suffered martyrdom. 
What a curse to Spain has been the infernal Inquisition! 
Barnes in his Notes on the 11th chapter of Revelation, makes 
this appalling statement—“In France several millions were 
destroyed in the innumerable massacres that took place in 
that kingdom. It has been computed that since the rise of 
the papacy, not fewer than fifty millions [50,000,000 not in¬ 
cluding Cis-atlantic martyrs] have been put to death on ac¬ 
count of religion. Of this vast number the greater part have 
been cut off during the last six hundred years ; for the papacy 
persecuted very little during the first half of its existence.” 
Pope Uurban II asserted—“We do not count them murderers 


Vision of Four Ancient Monarchies 73 

who, burning with zeal for their Catholic Mother against the 
excommunicate, may happen to have slain some of them.” 

This wicked “Little Horn” is charged with having 
changed “times and laws.” The Seventh Day Adventists 
make great use of this passage and claim that the Roman 
Catholic Church changed the Sabbath. Now, if you ask a 
papist priest if his Church changed the Sabbath, he will reply, 
“Yes.” But what does he mean by that answer? He means 
that the apostles made the change, and he is perfectly cor¬ 
rect: for he believes that his Church is the true Church 
which was founded by Peter and the rest of the Apostles. 
But what does the Seventh Day Adventist mean? Well, he 
will tell you that “the Papacy was established in A. D. 538, 
and that the change of day was made by it; that is, the 
change was made about the end of the 6th century. But 
that is neither the opinion nor the answer of the priest. This 
is a very illiterate way of reasoning. The truth is this: Not 
the Papacy, but the pure, primitive Christian Church did 
change the Sabbath and under apostolic authority. 

But the “Little Horn” has changed “times and laws.” It 
changed the Ten Commandments by leaving out the Second 
and by dividing the Tenth into two. However, in a recent 
catechism the Corns, are properly given. It has also changed 
“times” by slighting the Lord’s Day and by putting into the 
calendar many “saints’ days” and other “holy days.” It has 
almost entirely buried Christianity under the rubbish of false 
doctrines—penance instead of repentance, confession to a 
priest instead of to God, purgatorial fire instead of the 
precious blood of atonement, priests instead of preachers. Its 
dogmas concerning celibacy, the confessional, nunneries and 
monastic institutions are a disgrace to mankind. 

This “Little Horn” is to have power until “a time, and 
times, and the dividing of time”; that is, for three and a 
half years, according to the general mode of reckoning 
prophetic time. Now, it is an historical fact that for about 
such a period Romanism had unlimited sway in the world. 
At the Lateran Council in May, 1514, it was publicly pro¬ 
claimed—“There is an end to resistance to the papal rule 
and religion; there is none to oppose; the whole body of 


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Christendom is subject to its head.” Then in three and a 
half years after this announcement, on Oct. 31, 1517, Martin 
Luther nailed his Theses to the Church door of Wittenberg. 
This period of dense darkness was undoubtedly the darkest 
hour before the glorious dawn of the Reformation. 

The Setting up of the Kingdom of God 

In Dan. 7:18, it is said: “But the saints of the most 
High shall take the Kingdom, and possess the Kingdom for¬ 
ever, even for ever and ever.” Then in v. 27 of this chapter, 
it is predicted: “And the Kingdom and dominion, and the 
greatness of the Kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be 
given to the saints of the most High, whose Kingdom is an 
everlasting, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.” 

Mark the expression—“But the saints of the Most High 
shall take the Kingdom, and possess the Kingdom forever 
and ever.” The Church, inspired by the Holy Spirit, shall 
have world-wide dominion. This same great truth is repeated 
in verse 27, where it says that “the Kingdom under the whole 
heaven shall be given to the saints of the Most High.” 
The conclusion of the whole matter is this: 

The Babylonians had a trial at world empire and failed. 
So did the Medo-Persians and the Greeks, and the Romans. 
Also, the Papacy had a trial and made the worst failure of 
all. Soon the good Lord is going to give His Church a spir¬ 
itual “Kingdom of righteousness and peace, and joy in the 
Holy Ghost,” and this blessed Kingdom will dominate all 
earthly powers, lay and clerical, and will last forever. Thus, 
the gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church of God. 


PART III 


FOREWORD 

It is the purpose of the following three chapters to show 
that our Blessed Lord in referring to His Kingdom, places 
His own Second Advent after the millennium, and that in 
several of the parables the Saviour Himself confirms the 
postmillennial view. Further, in the third chapter, in ex¬ 
plaining the epistles to the Thessalonians, where the Parousia 
is repeatedly mentioned, it is made clear that Paul was not 
teaching premillennialism, but was showing those classic 
heathen, living in sight of Olympus, the home of the twelve 
great gods and goddesses of Greek mythology, that our Lord 
Jesus Christ was the only true Incarnation of Deity, and that 
in proof of His Divine Sonship, He would return at the end 
of the world in celestial power and glory as the Supreme 
Judge of all nations. 













CHRIST, SPEAKING OF HIS KINGDOM, 
SHOWS THE PLACE OF 
HIS ADVENT 

It is evident from the New Testament that the Kingdom 
was inaugurated on the Day of Pentecost, and that Christians 
have always enjoyed its inestimable privileges. 

The words Church, Gospel, and Kingdom are all used to 
designate the religious organization which the Saviour insti¬ 
tuted during His Incarnation. The name Church with its 
sacraments and various ministries, emphasizes especially 
divine worship, Holy Communion with the Lord Himself, 
sweet fellowship among Christians, and loving service to 
God and man. The term Gospel which means Good Tidings, 
indicates that this Divine Message will bestow manifold bene¬ 
fits upon mankind. The phrases, Kingdom of God and King¬ 
dom of Heaven—the former making prominent its Founder, 
the Lord Himself; and the latter its place of supreme author¬ 
ity in the heavenly Home of the Eternal—are much used in 
the Gospels. These phrases suggest governmental and mili¬ 
tary ideas, and give abundant assurances that this glorious 
Institution will make war against all the powers of evil, and 
will finally and eternally overthrow the malign forces of 
perdition. 

It can be shown that this conquering Kingdom was set 
up on the Day of Pentecost. 

The Saviour just before His Ascension, in His farewell 
address to the disciples, said: “All power is given unto me 
in Heaven and in earth, Go ye therefore, and teach all na¬ 
tions, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the 
Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all 
things whatsoever I have commanded you: And, lo, I am 
with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” 
—Matt. 28:18-20. 

These commands reveal the divine purpose of the all- 
conquering Captain of our salvation. Mark the final words 


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of this Gospel. They give the promise of His Presence to 
the end of the world, to the end of the age, to the end of 
time; and that promised Presence alway does assure—not 
Gospel defeat —but the ultimate world-wide triumph of 
Christianity. 

According to St. Luke, in closing His earthly career, the 
Saviour said: “That repentance and remission of sins 
should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning 
at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, 
behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but 
tarry in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power 
from on high.”—Luke 24:47-49. 

Here they are commanded to preach “repentance and the 
remission of sins, among all nations”—to preach a Gospel 
that saves sinners the world over. Also, there is that won¬ 
derful statement: “Behold, I send the promise of my Father 
upon you.” But what was that promise ? In Ps. 2 :8, it is 
written: “Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for 
thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy 
possession.” Thus our Lord’s First Advent had for its ob¬ 
jective—The regeneration of the world by the Gospel. 

Also, on the Day of Pentecost, Peter declared to the 
newly anointed disciples and to the convicted multitude: 
“This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel: And 
it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour 
out of my Spirit upon all flesh: And your sons and your 
daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see 
visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. And on my 
servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those 
days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.”—Acts 2:16-18. 
Here the apostle informs us that we are “in the last days,” in 
the last Dispensation, which is that of the Holy Spirit, whom 
the Lord is now pouring out upon old and young, male and 
female, high and low—is pouring out “upon all flesh”—upon 
all nations for the universal spread of truth and righteous¬ 
ness in all lands. 

Thus we see that the Descent of the Holy Spirit on 
Pentecost inaugurated this Gospel Dispensation. On that 
glad Day the Kingdom of Heaven was founded on earth. 


Christ Shows the Place of His Advent 79 

Therefore, it follows that the Christians of today are en¬ 
joying all the spiritual blessings of God’s glorious spiritual 
Kingdom of grace, which is destined to absorb and sanctify 
all earthly dominions, making this world a Paradise of peace 
and plenty for a thousand years. 

This is constantly maintained in the Gospels. John the 
Baptist preached : “Repent ye; for the Kingdom of Heaven 
is at hand.”—Matt. 3 :2. Indeed, this may be called the text 
of his mighty ministry. Evidently the Saviour’s forerunner 
had the idea that both the King and His Kingdom were im¬ 
minent. We know that Christ was born “King of the Jews,” 
was accepted by the devout in Israel as the Son and Heir of 
David, and was crucified as “the King of the Jews.” Paul 
tells us that “Christ is the Head of the Church.”—Eph. 5 :23. 
Mr. Wesley on this announcement of John the Baptist truly 
says: “As if he had said, God is about to erect that King¬ 
dom spoken of by Daniel ... It properly signifies the 
Gospel Dispensation.” 

Now let us turn to some of our Lord’s own statements 
about His Kingdom. The Saviour repeats John’s text: “Re¬ 
pent: for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”—Matt. 4:17. 
The expression, “is at hand,” is the English translation of a 
Greek verb, eggike, which is used here and in the similar 
passage by John, and which is in the perfect tense. There¬ 
fore, according to Thayer these passages might read: “The 
Kingdom of Heaven has come nigh.” The logical inference 
from the foregoing statements is that the First Advent 
marked the establishment of God’s everlasting Kingdom of 
grace and glory. 

Matt. 4:23 : ‘Wnd Jesus went about all Galilee, preach¬ 
ing the Gospel of the Kingdom”—preaching the Glad Tid¬ 
ings of a present, a free, and a full salvation—preaching the 
passing away of the material symbolism of Judaism and the 
ushering in of the “New Covenant: not of the letter, but 
of the Spirit.”—2 Cor. 3:6. (R. V.) Further, in Heb. 

12:22-24, we are informed that we “are come unto Mount 
Zion” . . . the “Church of the firstborn” . . . “And 
to Jesus the mediator of the New Covenant , and to the blood 
of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” 


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Consequently, we are under the New Covenant and have the 
New Testament which blessedly transcends the Old in 
“glory.” 

The Messiah in preaching his Kingdom, was fulfilling the 
prediction of dying Jacob to Judah: “The scepter shall not 
depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, 
until Shiloh come: and unto Him shall the gathering of the 
people be.”—Gen. 49:10. The Saviour in referring to His 
Death on the cross said: “And I, if I be lifted up from the 
earth, will draw all men unto me.”—Jno. 12:32. Our Lord 
is daily becoming more and more the center of the world’s at¬ 
tention and thought, reverence and love: and when He reigns 
supreme in the heart and mind of humanity, the world will 
then enjoy its millennium. 

Matt. 5 :3 : “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is 
the Kingdom of Heaven.” Matt. 5:10: “Blessed are they 
which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is 
the Kingdom of Heaven.” In the original of these passages 
the copula is expressed, is thus emphatic, and is in the present 
tense, and should be read: “Theirs is the Kingdom of 
Heaven.” Mark! the Saviour does not give an indefinite 
prediction of something about 2,000 years in the distant 
future. He promises blessings for present realization. Con¬ 
sequently, during all the Christian centuries, the “poor in 
spirit” and the “persecuted” have enjoyed the precious pos¬ 
session of the Kingdom in their very hearts. This most cer¬ 
tainly was Paul’s understanding of the Holy Scriptures, 
when, in giving thanks unto the Father, he said: “Who hath 
delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated 
us into the Kingdom of His Dear Son.”—Cor. 1:13. Mark 
the tenses of the verbs, but according to Premillennial no¬ 
tions, the converted person is translated into nothing. 

Matt. 6:33: “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and 
His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto 
you.” That is, before you seek earthly things, seek the 
Kingdom of God. But if there be no such Kingdom at 
present, then our Heavenly Father only mocks His needy 
creatures—which is unthinkable. An earthly parent gives 
neither a stone for bread, nor a serpent for a fish: And much 


Christ Shows the Place of His Advent 81 

less does the good Lord deceive us with vain hopes. Then 
seek this Kingdom, and in the day you seek it with all your 
heart, you will most assuredly find it: for it is a present and 
happy possession of all the children of our Heavenly Father. 

Matt. 8:12: “But the children of the Kingdom shall be 
cast out into outer darkness.” That is, even the favored 
Jews who had been born into David’s typical Kingdom, and 
who would naturally be expected to accept their Messiah’s 
spiritual Kingdom—even the favored Jews, if unfaithful, 
would be rejected. But if there be no Kingdom now, why 
threaten to keep them out of it ? 

Matt. 10:7: “As ye go, preach, saying, The Kingdom of 
Heaven is at hand.” This was the text given by our Lord 
to His first missionaries. This phrase, “is at hand,” is often 
used in reference to the Kingdom. For these three words, 
the Greek has only one word which means, “to be near, come 
near, approach.”—Liddell and Scott’s Greek-English Lexi¬ 
con. Further, here as in several other passages, the verb, 
eggike, is in the perfect tense, and should be translated: 
“The Kingdom of Heaven has come near.” Thus the dis¬ 
ciples were heralds of the Kingdom. Soon the bloody sacri¬ 
fices of the Old Testament would cease and the all-atoning 
Blood of the New Covenant of grace would be shed once 
and for all. 

Matt. 11:11: “Among them that are born of women, 
there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwith¬ 
standing he that is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater 
than he.” Notice that the verbs are and is are in the present 
tense, and that our Lord is not speaking of something future, 
but of a present preeminence—present nearly 2,000 years 
ago. 

Matt. 11:12: “And from the days of John the Baptist 
until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the 
violent take it by force.” If this kingdom was not then 
in existence, how could it suffer violence ? and how could the 
violent take it by force ? There is a similar statement in Luke 
16:16: “The law and the Prophets were until John: since 
that time the Kingdom of God is preached, and every man 
presseth into it.” These affirmations make it impossible for 



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any sane exegesis to ignore the presence of the Kingdom 
in this Dispensation of the Holy Spirit. 

Matt. 12:28: “But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of 
God, then the Kingdom of God is come unto you.” This 
phrase, “is come,” here implies a past event. Indeed, the 
Greek verb used here, means “to come or do before another, 
to be beforehand with, overtake, outstrip, anticipate.”—Lid¬ 
dell and Scott. Further, the verb, ephthase, is in the 1st 
Aorist, which expresses past action. Westcott and Hort, 
like Thayer, translate the passage thus—“The Kingdom of 
God has come upon you sooner than you expected.” Thus 
our Lord distinctly informs these ancient unbelievers that the 
Kingdom of God has already appeared among them. There 
is no possible way of evading this conclusion. 

Matt. 16:19: “And I will give unto you the keys of 
the Kingdom of Heaven.” To the apostles the Lord gave 
those keys, and, on the Day of Pentecost, they opened the 
doors of the Church, and 3,000 souls entered into the newly 
founded Kingdom. Afterwards, in the house of Cornelius, 
the Roman Centurion, Peter used the same keys and opened 
the same doors to the Gentiles. But according to our pes¬ 
simistic brethren there could not have been any keys: for 
some even deny the existence of the Church which Paul men¬ 
tions over fifty times in his epistles. 

Matt. 16:27, 28: “For the Son of man shall come in 
the glory of His Father with His Angels: and then He shall 
reward every man according to his works. Verily, I say 
unto you, there be some standing here which shall not taste 
of death, till they see the Son of Man coming in His King¬ 
dom.” In verse 27, Christ refers to His literal Second Ad¬ 
vent at the end of all things, when as the Eternal Judge, He 
will appear in great glory and “reward every man”—good 
and bad—“according to his works.” But verse 28 refers 
to His Spiritual Coming in the Holy Spirit on the Day of 
Pentecost, when He came in His Kingdom and did set up 
His spiritual reign in the hearts of His disciples. As this 
spiritual coming on Pentecost to establish the New Dispen¬ 
sation, occurred in a few months, no doubt most of His 
hearers lived to witness and enjoy that most propitious event. 


Christ Shows the Place of His Advent 83 

Of course Christ as the Great Head of the Church was pres¬ 
ent when it was founded upon heauton, Himself, the Rock 
of Ages. Also, He said to His disciples, at His Ascension, 
in His fond farewell: “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto 
the end of the world.”—Matt. 28:20. Though our Lord is 
seated at the right hand of the Father as our Intercessor, 
and though this is emphatically the Dispensation of the Holy 
Spirit; yet in a most precious sense Christ is present in His 
Church today. 

Unfortunately some people have imagined that this Pen¬ 
tecostal Presence was the Second Advent. But the Scrip¬ 
tures plainly teach that the Second Coming will be at the end 
of all things terrestrial. Then hosts of angels and saints 
will accompany Him, a trumpet will sound and wake the 
dead, angels will reap the harvest of the world, and tran¬ 
scendent glory will characterize His appearance in the Heav¬ 
ens : and we shall meet Him in the air. Then the earth will 
pass away with a great noise, consumed with fervent heat. 
There has been a serious mystic confusion of thought which 
has led some good people astray, and caused them to imagine 
that Christ’s spiritual Presence on Pentecost and His Spirit¬ 
ual Presence ever since was the Parousia or Second Advent, 
which Second Advent is so graphically described by Paul in 
1 Thess. 4:16, 17. Certainly Jesus is most graciously and 
spiritually discerned in the Holy Communion with His saints. 
But the Great Day of the Lord’s visible Presence, in the 
Heavens, in final Judgment, is yet far in the future. 

Matt. 20:21: “She saith unto Him, Grant that these my 
two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand and the other on 
thy left, in thy Kingdom.” This fond mother, just like our 
modern Second Adventist, had purely temporal and material 
ideas about the Messianic reign. According to these materi¬ 
alists, Judaea was to be supreme over all nations, Jerusalem 
would be the capital of the world, and Messiah would far 
transcend even Solomon in all his glory. There was some 
excuse for Salome’s foolish fondness for her sons and her 
mistaken notions about the Messiah’s mission to earth. But 
what excuse can be given for our pseudo-prophets, who do 
not discern the leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees in these 


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earthly grandeur expectations, and so misrepresent and de¬ 
grade our Lord’s spiritual Kingdom of grace and glory ? 
Now, in one respect, the mistaken Salome was far in ad¬ 
vance of our modern advocates of earthly grandeurs for the 
Church. She believed, and rightly so, that the Messiah would 
immediately set up His Kingdom. 

Matt. 21:31: “Verily, I say unto you, that the publi¬ 
cans and the harlots go into the Kingdom of God before 
you.” Here is another present tense. Already Jesus saw 
poor penitents pressing into the opening doors of His Church. 
They were entering while the Kingdom was being established 
—were entering while the respectable, the rich and the 
learned were clinging to their filthy rags of self-righteous¬ 
ness. 

Matt. 21 :43: “Therefore, I say unto you, the Kingdom 
of God will be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing 
forth the fruits thereof.” Sad fact! The Jew lost his great 
place of honor and influence for good in all the higher realms 
of human affairs, when he rejected his own Messiah. Then 
Paul was chosen as the apostle to the Gentiles, and Europe 
became Christian, while the children of Abraham held on to 
Judaism. Hence, in the opinion of the Redeemer there was 
a Kingdom which some accepted and others rejected. Other¬ 
wise this emphatic passage contains an absurdity. But hap¬ 
pily it now appears that “the fullness of the Gentiles” will 
soon be brought into “the Commonwealth of Israel,” and 
then the Lord’s ancient people will accept their own ever- 
blessed Messiah. Then will be fulfilled the prediction of 
Zechariah 12:10: “And I will pour out upon the house of 
David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of 
grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon Me 
whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as 
one that mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness 
for Him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born.” 

Matt. 23:13: “But woe unto you, Scribes and Phari¬ 
sees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the Kingdom of Heaven 
against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer 
ye them that are entering to go in.” In the modern Church 


Christ Shows the Place of His Advent 85 

there are stumbling blocks just as there were in the ancient 
Church. Now if there were no Kingdom, how could our 
Lord rebuke persons for shutting it up! One must do vio¬ 
lence to the Holy Scriptures, or believe that we are now 
living under the spiritual reign of King Immanuel. 

Matt. 24:14: “And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be 
preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and 
then shall the end come.” But if there be no Kingdom, what 
becomes of its Gospel? What becomes of its Church? and 
where do missionaries get Glad Tidings of salvation for the 
poor heathen ? The apostles, however, believing in the King¬ 
dom, went forth preaching the Gospel everywhere, “God 
also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and 
with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost.”—Heb. 
2:4. 

Our Adventist brethren have a false idea about this 
preaching. They seem to think that it is to be a witness 
against men. The original word here is marturion, which 
gives us our word martyr, and which in the R. V. is better 
translated by the word testimony. The testimony or witness 
of the martyrs was not “the savor of death unto death,” but 
“of life unto life.” So much so that it has often been said 
—“The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” 
The apostle John, speaking of John the Baptist, said: “There 
was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same 
came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all 
men through him might believe.”—Jno. 1 :6, 7. The Spirit 
inspired preachers bear witness to the truth for the purpose 
of getting “all men” to “believe.” Christians are the Lord’s 
witnesses and they must bear their testimony so that the 
world will be converted. These maligners of Gospel preach¬ 
ing should remember the words of the Saviour: “For God 
sent not Llis Son into the world to condemn the world: but 
that the world through Him might be saved.”—Jno. 3:17. 

The last clause of the passage under discussion (Matt. 
24:14) contains a most important announcement: “Then 
shall the end come ” The Master himself here plainly tells 
us that the end will not come till after there have been world- 


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wide preaching and witnessing, which will produce world¬ 
wide evangelism—which will produce the general diffusion 
of Christianity over this world. Thus we rightly infer that 
the Second Advent follows the millennium. 

Matt. 26:29: “But I say unto you, I will not drink hence¬ 
forth of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it 
new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.” There is a similar 
passage in Luke 22:16: “For I say unto you, I will not any 
more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.” 
This was the last Passover and also the first Lord’s Supper. 
Jesus tells His disciples that He will not partake of wine 
again until He drinks it spiritually with His disciples in His 
Kingdom. The Saviour was looking forward to the time in 
the near future, when His faithful followers would com¬ 
memorate His Death in the Sacrament. Though our Lord 
has made His glorious Ascension, and though He has been 
crowned King of saints to reign forever: yet to this day He 
always honors with His Presence the Holy Communion, 
which is the most sacred rite of the New Testament—the 
New Covenant—for it commemorates His Precious Death. 
Also, when we “open the door” of the heart, He “will come 
in,” and “will sup with” us, and we “will sup with Him.”— 
Rev. 3 :20. And the feast will be everlasting love. This is 
the mysterious Presence of the Saviour in this Dispensation 
of the Spirit. But it is not in any sense His Second Advent. 

There are also passages in Mark that throw a clear light 
on this vexed question about the Kingdom. 

Mark 1:14: “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus 
came into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of 
God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of 
God is at hand: repent ye and believe the Gospel.” Here, 
also, in the original the verbs are in the perfect tense, and 
read: The time has been fulfilled and the Kingdom of God 
has come. The simple meaning is this : All things have been 
arranged for the immediate setting up of the Kingdom. The 
following is Mr. Wesley’s note on the passage: “The time 
of my Kingdom, foretold by Daniel, expected by you, is 
fully come.” It is passing strange that some Christians do 


Christ Shows the Place of His Advent 87 

not perceive the true meaning of these definite and oft- 
repeated statements of the Master. 

Mark 9:1: “Verily, I say unto you, That there be some 
of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till 
they have seen the Kingdom of God come with power.” 
Again we have the Saviour’s unequivocal statement that some 
of His hearers at that time, would live to see the Pentecostal 
Baptism, which would inaugurate the New Dispensation, 
and reveal in their very hearts the Kingdom of grace and 
the Divine Presence. As has been previously stated, care 
must be taken not to confound this spiritual mystic Presence 
with the visible and literal Return of the Saviour at His 
Second Advent. This Return will be the closing scene in our 
world’s history, and will be accompanied with appalling 
scenes of awful grandeur. Peter gives a most vivid descrip¬ 
tion of the wreck of the world that will mark the final events 
of mundane affairs. “But the day of the Lord will come as 
a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away 
with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent 
heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be 
burned up.”—2 Peter 3:10. Also in Rev. 6:12-17, there is 
an extended description of these final events. Then falling- 
stars and moving islands, then terrified kings and captains 
calling upon mountains and rocks to hide them from “Him 
that sitteth on the throne” and from the wrath of the Lamb, 
and then a burning world—all these will spread universal 
consternation. Knowing these passages, there ought to be 
no trouble in distinguishing between our Lord’s blessed 
Presence in grace and His Second Coming in infinite majesty 
for Judgment. 

Mark 10:23-25: “How hardly shall they that have riches 
enter into the kingdom of God.” Most certainly Christ is 
here speaking primarily of the rich men of His own day. 
How absurd would be His statements, if the Kingdom were 
2,000 years in the future! This no-Kingdom nonsense has 
no place in the teachings of the Master. 

Mark 12:34: “Thou art not far from the kingdom of 
God.” How can one explain such a passage on the assump- 


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tion that there is no such organization in existence. Can 
even a Premillennialist imagine that Christ would say to an 
educated and thoughtful man: Thou art not far from a 
kingdom that will be established in about 2,000 years. When 
seekers of truth come to the Great Teacher, He does not 
send them away empty to long for the impossible—to long 
for some thing in the distant centuries. No, indeed! He 
gives a full and a present solution to our great problems. 

Mark 15:43: “J ose pli of Arimathaea, an honorable 
counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, 
and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of 
Jesus.” This pious and learned Jew understood many of the 
prophecies, no doubt accepted Jesus as the Messiah, and 
knew that his Advent meant the establishment of His King¬ 
dom on earth. The belief of Judaism agrees with the con¬ 
sensus of opinion in Christendom. The Jews looked forward 
to the Coming of Messiah and the establishment of His King¬ 
dom ; but Christians now look back to those wonderful reve¬ 
lations of divine love for man. 

In Luke are found statements similar to those that have 
already been considered. 

Luke 1:32, 33: “And the Lord God shall give unto Him 
the throne of His father David; and He shall reign over the 
house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be 
no end.” These words were spoken by Gabriel when he 
made the Annunciation to the virgin Mary. Thus the arch¬ 
angel predicts that the Messiah in a spiritual sense shall in¬ 
herit the throne of David, that He shall thus reign forever 
over the Israel of God, and that of His spiritual reign “there 
shall be no end.” The sons of David lost their earthly throne, 
but David’s Son and Lord came to establish a divine govern¬ 
ment in the very hearts of His subjects. Therefore Gabriel, 
understanding the Scriptures, predicted the near approach of 
both the King and His Kingdom. 

Luke 6:20: “Blessed are ye poor: for yours is the king¬ 
dom of God.” Here again we have the Saviour’s words in 
the present tense, assuring the poor that He had already 
begun His benign reign in their hearts. 


Christ Shows the Place of His Advent 89 

Luke 8:1: “He went throughout every city and village 
preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of 
God.” Doubtless He explained why the types and shadows 
of the ceremonial law must pass away and give place to the 
fullness of blessing under the New Covenant. Hearing the 
good news, the humble poor believed and welcomed the Son 
of David, who would henceforth and forever exercise loving 
dominion over the Israel of God. In His preaching Jesus 
was not predicting so much as He was revealing the nature 
and destiny of His spiritual government over the children of 
our Heavenly Father. 

Luke 9 :2: “And He sent them to preach the kingdom 
of God”—not a far-off future organization, but a real present 
form of divine government. The Jews knew sadly-well the 
cruel heathen empires of Rome and Greece; and had bitter 
memories of Babylon and Egypt. There had been mournful 
periods of bondage in their own land and in foreign countries. 
But now their own Redeemer has come, and He will set up 
a merciful reign of truth and righteousness. Gladly do the 
disciples publish the good news of emancipation for Jews and 
enlightenment for Gentiles, in the new order of things about 
to be established under the rule of the Son of God. In the 
beginning of their ministry, probably the disciples, like the 
Adventists of today, entertained some worldly ideas of their 
Master’s mission; but in one important respect they were 
emphatically right. They believed in the immediate usher¬ 
ing in of the New Dispensation. 

Luke 9:11: “And He received them, and spake unto 
them of the kingdom of God.” Again, Jesus unfolds His 
gracious plans to the oppressed people; who gladly heard of 
mild forms of government and of a beneficent Ruler. They 
were sick of despotisms that had crushed them under an iron 
heel, and gladly opened their hearts to receive their own 
Messiah, who, the prophet Isaiah assured them, would “pro¬ 
claim liberty to the captives, and the opening of prison doors 
to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of 
the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort 
all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, 


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to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourn¬ 
ing, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.”— 
Is. 61 :l-3. The prophets and the apostles rightly located the 
beginning of the Kingdom in the time of the First Advent. 

Luke 9:62: “No man having put his hand to the plough, 
and looking back, is fit for the kingdom.” The scene here 
described is present to the speaker, who is Jesus, and who is 
intimating that fidelity is required of those who secure a 
place in His Kingdom, which the Lord indicated was already 
coming into existence. 

Luke 10:8-11: “And into whatsoever city ye enter, and 
they receive you . . . say unto them, The kingdom of 
God has come nigh unto you. But into whatsoever city ye 
enter, and they receive you not . . . say, even the very 

dust of your city . . . we do wipe off against you, not¬ 
withstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is 
come nigh unto you.” In this last clause the Greek verb is 
in the perfect tense and should be rendered —has come nigh 
unto you. In these verses the Saviour is instructing His 
disciples about their mission work. They must inform the 
people that time for the Messianic reign has come, and it is 
now at their very doors. There is no possibility of evading 
the force of these past and present tenses. The original is 
clear and emphatic. A proper paraphrase of these many pas¬ 
sages might be: The Kingdom of God in its initial unfold¬ 
ings, has already come. Since the king is here, His kingdom 
is here also. 

Luke 12:31: “But rather seek ye the kingdom of God: 
and all these things shall be added unto you.” This exhorta¬ 
tion does not urge us on to a fruitless search after something 
utterly out of our reach, and hidden away in vague and 
distant futurity. Our Lord entreats His hearers, saying to 
them somewhat after this manner: First of all get my King¬ 
dom into your hearts, and then all needful minor temporal 
blessings will follow in due time. Be ye well assured of 
this: The Saviour never urges a penitent soul to seek what 
cannot be found. In very truth, Jesus is now reigning in the 
hearts of all true believers. 


Christ Shows the Place of His Advent 91 

Luke 12:3 : “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s 
good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” The meaning is 
simply this: In due time the disciples addressed will be in 
possession of the Kingdom. This glorious event followed 
immediately the completion of Christ’s atoning work. After 
the Resurrection of Christ, the disciples were allowed only 
fifty days—only till Pentecost—to get ready for that won¬ 
derful Baptism. The Father was waiting and anxious to 
bestow on the disciples the enduement of power for world 
conquest. On that most auspicious Day, the little Flock 
entered upon the enjoyments and responsibilities, the privi¬ 
leges and prerogatives of the glorious kingdom of grace. 

Luke 14:15: “Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the 
kingdom of God.” This pious Jew, knowing the prophecies, 
in common with the people, expected that the new order of 
things was in the near future. Devout Jews had a fair un¬ 
derstanding of the Holy Scriptures, and in the main correctly 
interpreted the predictions of the Old Testament. Now, there 
is abundant evidence to show that God’s ancient people fully 
expected that a divine government would be instituted at the 
Coming of their Messiah. This Jew uttered a fine sentiment, 
and it is quite probable that he himself lived to eat bread in 
the brighter days of the new Dispensation. 

Luke 16:16: “The law and the prophets were until 
John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and 
every man presseth into it.” Observe that the second and 
third verbs of this sentence are in the present tense, and con¬ 
sequently denote present action. Now, if there were no 
kingdom, how could persons press into it? Such passages as 
this are absolutely fatal to all no-kingdom vagaries. 

Luke 17:20, 21: “And when He was demanded of the 
Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, He an¬ 
swered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with 
observation; neither shall they say, lo here! or lo there! for, 
behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” How brief and 
emphatic, how clear and important are these authoritative 
declarations! The first one puts an end to and finally dis¬ 
poses of, all premillennial hallucinations about spectacular 



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phenomena at Jerusalem. Then the second statement—“The 
kingdom of God is within you”—has a two-fold significance: 
it shows that the kingdom is a present possession and that it 
is a personal blessing for true Christians. 

How badly and sadly—and one is tempted to say willfully 
—do these Advent pseudo-prophets distort or ignore the 
most valuable and gracious institutions of our Holy Christi¬ 
anity ! They culpably disregard the vast significance of Pen¬ 
tecost, belittle the glorious ministry of the Third Person of 
the Holy Trinity, and certainly underestimate the all-atoning 
and infinitely precious blood of the Lamb of God. In many 
respects they must be classed with the defamers of the Gos¬ 
pel, which offers to all penitents a present, a free, and a full 
salvation. They really reject the plain statements of Scrip¬ 
ture, and seem to be mentally in hopeless chaos about the 
great eschatological problems that are confronting the Church 
at this most critical period of human history. 

Luke 18:24, 25 : “How hardly shall they that have riches 
enter into the kingdom of God! for it is easier for a camel 
to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter 
into the kingdom of God.” This passage presupposes the 
existence and presence of the kingdom. It is hard for the 
rich to become Christians and to be subject unto Him whose 
right it is to reign. They are proud, self-willed, and dis¬ 
regard the divine authority. They will not bend their knees 
in prayer or their necks to the will of their Heavenly Father. 
They have “the carnal mind which is enmity against God,” 
and “is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can 
be.”—Rom. 8:7. 

Luke 18:29, 30: “There is no man that hath left house, 
or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children for the kingdom 
of God’s sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this 
present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.” We 
must believe that the Lord refers to the heralds of the cross, 
who make sacrifices for the sake of the Gospel—a “present 
time” institution, and that they receive a “present time” 
reward. 

Luke 21:31, 32: “So likewise ye, when ye see these 
things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is 


Christ Shows the Place of His Advent 93 

nigh at hand. Verily, I say unto you, This generation shall 
not pass away, till all be fulfilled.” Once more, the Lord 
informs His hearers of the near approach of His spiritual 
reign. Soon all the predictions concerning the new Dispen¬ 
sation were accomplished, and the disciples knew that they 
were in the glorious morning of world-wide spiritual eman¬ 
cipation, and they welcomed the coming spiritual supremacy 
of their Master over this sin-cursed world. When the glories 
of Pentecost fell upon them they realized that they were fully 
in the kingdom, and that it was already blessedly set up in 
their own hearts. 

Luke 22:16: “For I say unto you, I will not any more 
eat thereof until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” In 
a short time Christ was crucified and after about forty days 
He ascended into Heaven. But at their first celebration 
of the Lord’s supper, He was present in Spirit. Also, during 
all the succeeding past history of His Church, whenever His 
devout followers have assembled to commemorate His Death 
and Passion, He has honored the occasion with His gracious 
Spiritual Presence. Further, whenever penitent souls open 
the door, He will come in and “sup with them and they with 
Him.”—Rev. 3 :20. 

Luke 22:18: “For I say unto you, I will not drink of 
the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.” The original 
for “shall come,” has a verb in the 2nd Aorist, subjunctive, 
and implies an “immediate and not delayed event.” The fol¬ 
lowing is a correct rendering: “Until the Kingdom of God 
has come ” In other words, the Redeemer says that He will 
not partake of the Eucharistic Feast with His disciples, 
before His kingdom has been inaugurated. That is, His 
Church shall have been founded, before the Sacrament shall 
have been observed in His blessed Presence. Now for nearly 
2,000 years, His gracious Presence has sanctified the Sac¬ 
rament to millions of souls. 

Luke 22:29: “And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as 
my Father hath appointed unto me.” After instituting the 
Holy Communion, the Saviour, among His farewell counsels, 
made the foregoing statement. Mark! He did not say, I 
will appoint unto you; but He did say, “I appoint unto you.” 


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The Greek verb is in the present tense. In so doing Jesus 
did not transcend His authority; for He said just before His 
Ascension: “All power is given unto me in Heaven and in 
earth.”—Matt. 28:18. Thus, our Lord before His departure 
appointed the disciples to places of honor and influence in 
His glorious Kingdom of grace then being established upon 
the earth. 

Luke 22:30: “That ye may eat and drink at my table in 
my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes 
of Israel.” The Saviour intimates that His followers being 
faithful in toil and trial in preaching the Gospel, shall have 
great privileges and authority, not only in this life, but also 
in that which is to come. They shall enjoy sweet fellowship 
at the table of the Lord in the Church Militant and heavenly 
Communion in the Church Triumphant. Our Lord as a King 
enjoys universal empire and shares His emoluments and pre¬ 
rogatives with those that love Him. All His people even now 
are “kings and priests unto God.” 

Luke 23 :42, 43 : “And he said unto Jesus, Lord remem¬ 
ber me when Thou comest in thy kingdom. And Jesus said 
unto him, Verily, I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with 
me in Paradise." Evidently, the penitent thief believed that 
the Crucified One was the promised Messiah and had come 
to establish His righteous reign upon the earth. Then Jesus, 
acting upon the intelligent faith of this dying sinner, received 
him above into Paradise, the intermediate celestial realm of 
His everlasting kingdom. 

Luke 23:51: “Who also Himself waited for the king- 
dom of God." It appears that this good man, Joseph of 
Arimathsea, had correct ideas about the Saviour’s First Ad¬ 
vent. He understood the prophecies and was waiting to wel¬ 
come the new Dispensation; for he expected that Messiah 
would establish it immediately —and he was not disappointed. 

There are also some kingdom passages in the Gospel ac¬ 
cording to St. John. 

John 3 :3 : “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man 
be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” The 
necessary conclusion here is simply this: when a man is 
born again he does see—he does enter the Kingdom of God. 


Christ Shows the Place of His Advent 95 

This Paul distinctly affirms in Col. 1:13: “Who hath deliv¬ 
ered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us 
into the kingdom of His dear Son.” This definite declara¬ 
tion decides the question and proves that Paul had no non¬ 
entity-kingdom notions in his mind. He knew that those 
who have been changed from nature to grace and who have 
become the sons of God, the heirs of God, and joint-heirs 
with Christ—he knew that they had become loving subjects 
of the Great King, whose everlasting dominion is now bless¬ 
ing humanity. 

John 3 :5 : “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man 
be born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the 
kingdom of God.” But when he is born again, he does most 
assuredly enter into the Kingdom which most assuredly does 
exist. All these no-kingdom absurdities should be cast aside 
as heresies that misinterpret the Scriptures and really malign 
our Holy Christianity, which is God’s final and greatest ap¬ 
peal to mankind. 

John 18:36: “Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of 
this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would 
my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews : 
but now is my kingdom not from hence.” The Saviour is 
here describing the nature of His expected rule. The Lord’s 
ancient people, just like our modern Adventists, were carried 
away with worldly-minded, material vagaries about some re¬ 
markable revelations of might and majesty at Jerusalem. 
The carnal mind is ever seeking for an appeal to the senses. 
A vain imagination is looking for an imperial city greater 
than Babylon and a ruler greater than “Solomon in all his 
glory,” far surpassing all the Caesars. But the old prophet 
Zechariah (4:6-8) gives the correct idea on this matter. 
“This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubabbel, saying, not 
by might nor by power, but my Spirit, saith the Lord of 
hosts.” It is passing strange that this old leaven of a tem¬ 
poral reign in material grandeur in the Holy Land for a 
thousand years—it is passing strange that this old delusion 
has advocates even at the present time. 

No doubt, since Palestine has fallen into the hands of 
the British, every consideration will be given to God’s ancient 


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people, and the Jews with their great enterprise, wealth, in¬ 
telligence, and religious patriotism, will again make Jerusa¬ 
lem the joy of the whole earth, and the most renowned city 
on the globe. This is a sane and Scriptural expectation and 
very different from the vain imaginings of Second Ad¬ 
ventists. 

How can some people imagine that while both Satan and 
the Beast have kingdoms—how can they imagine that the 
Son of God who is “co-equal and co-eternal” with the Father 
and the Holy Spirit, and who is of the “same substance, 
essence, and glory” with the other Persons of the Holy Trin¬ 
ity—how can they imagine that the glorified Redeemer who 
has been enthroned in Heaven during all the centuries of our 
Christian Era, has no kingdom! Beloved brethren, this no¬ 
kingdom idea is one of Satan’s favorite delusions when 
He comes as an angel of light. 

These prophesying sects proclaim their full belief in the 
inspired “Word of God”—and we greatly honor them for 
their fidelity to the Holy Scriptures—yet in this Christian 
country, in this enlightened age, and in the face of the fore¬ 
going oft-repeated statements of our Lord Himself, they do 
persist in denying the present existence of the kingdom. 
One does not like to accuse of mental perversity; but there 
must be at least spiritual blindness. 

Of course it should be remembered that this is one of 
Satan’s best schemes for side-tracking evangelists. It is so 
easy to get up a premillennial excitement, which is almost 
certain to awaken public interest. This is the reason why so 
many very zealous and useful preachers fall into this snare 
of Satan. While the settled pastor is tempted to be perfunc¬ 
tory, the evangelist is tempted to be sensational. Satan’s 
success in making false prophets out of evangelists, furnishes 
one of the sad chapters of Church history. A false spirit of 
prophecy has gone abroad in the land, and many evangelists, 
carried away by this utterly unscriptural excitement, have 
put strange fire into their censers. 

Recently, our country has been infested by German spies 
and traitors. They defamed our government and predicted 
disaster for our armies and navies. These men are called 


Christ Shows the Place of His Advent 97 

traitors, and many say that they should not be tolerated. 
Now, what have these premillennialists been doing? Have 
they not constantly predicted defeat for the Gospel? Do 
they not search out and publish broadcast every defect and 
mistake of the Church militant ? Are they not constantly pro¬ 
claiming that the Church is getting worse and worse? Do 
they not persistently predict the ultimate failure of our Holy 
Christianity ? Now, should not these people, who constantly 
bring in an evil report of the good work of the Gospel, be 
called Satan-sent propagandists? Most assuredly they are 
betraying the Cause of Christ to His enemies. They really 
weaken the hands and hearts of all Christian workers, and 
cast the reproach of failure upon the Church, which is the 
Bride of Christ. The apostle Paul did not believe in the 
doleful delusions of these pessimistic prophets, for he said: 

“Christ also loved the Church, and gave Himself for it, that 
He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water 
by the Word and that He might present it to Himself a glori¬ 
ous Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; 
but that it should be holy and without blemish.”—Eph. 5 :25- 
27. Therefore, let all those who call themselves Christians, 
forever cease prating against the work of God as represented 
by His Church, His Gospel, and His Kingdom. Especially 
at the present time when the whole world seems to be looking 
to Christianity for the solution of its great problems, all the 
followers of Jesus should stand by and help forward all the 
interests of His kingdom. From every quarter comes the 
Macedonian cry, “Come over and help us!” Every praying 
person should give utmost endeavor to aid world-evangelism 
that the millennial reign of truth and righteousness may soon 
be enjoyed by all nations of the earth. 


OUR LORD IN PARABLES DESCRIBES HIS 
KINGDOM AS A PRESENT POSSESSION 


THE THIRTEENTH CHAPTER OF MATTHEW 

In this chapter to which we now confine our attention, 
five times occurs this expression: “The kingdom of God 
is like,” etc., also once there is this: “The kingdom of God 
is likened,” etc. In all these passages the Greek verb is in 
the present tense, and being expressed, is somewhat emphatic. 
Observe, then, that the Saviour speaks in the present tense 
about His kingdom. If it had been a future event, at least 
2,000 years distant, He would not so often have said: “The 
kingdom of God is like,” etc. But he would have said: “The 
kingdom of God will be like,” etc. The conclusion is there¬ 
fore inevitable that according to Christ’s own teaching, His 
kingdom was established while He was here upon the earth. 

The Sower 

In the first parable, that of the Sower, it is said: “It is 
given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of 
Heaven.”—Matt. 13:11. The same statement is found in 
Mark 4:11. The first verb in these passages, is in the per¬ 
fect passive, and has been translated by Thayer thus: “To 
you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom 
of Heaven,” etc. That is, the Lord had given them a spir¬ 
itual understanding that they might know the deep things 
of His kingdom, which He plainly told them was then within 
them—among them. 

In explaining this first parable the Saviour says in verse 
19: “When any one heareth the word of the kingdom,” etc. 
The “word” here must mean its teachings and doctrines, its 
requirements and privileges. Now, what could they know of 
its tenets, rites, and mysteries, if it were non-existent? 



His Kingdom a Present Possession 99 

The Good Seed and the Tares 

In the second parable (verses 24-30) the Saviour said: 
“The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed 
good seed in his field, but while men slept, his enemy came 
and sowed tares among the wheat.” The servants informed 
the householder about the tares, and said: “Wilt thou that 
we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay . . . Let 
both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of 
harvest I will say to the reapers, gather ye together first the 
tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather 
the wheat into my barn.” 

There is among some Christians, a vague, unscriptural 
notion that Christ will soon make His Second Advent, de¬ 
stroy the wicked and raise the righteous dead. Then He with 
the living righteous and the raised righteous, will establish at 
Jerusalem a temporal sovereignty of surpassing earthly mag¬ 
nificence. But this parable destroys all such vain specula¬ 
tions. Those unwise servants in their hasty zeal wanted to 
root out the tares. But the more sane ruler of the field re¬ 
strained them and said: “Let both grow together until the 
harvest.” The Saviour in explaining this portion of Scrip¬ 
ture plainly tells us that “the harvest is the end of the world.” 
—V. 39. But our modern Rapture friends reject the wise 
counsel of the good householder. They advocate a root-up- 
tares policy, and are the lineal descendants of these hasty 
servants that had “zeal without knowledge.” But the Lord’s 
program for the last things is quite different. The righteous 
and the wicked must be allowed to work out their problems 
of life together until the end of all things. It is to be hoped 
that this ill-considered Rapture theory will give place to saner 
thoughts, and that nation-wide evangelism will fully engage 
the attention and absorb the energies of the Church Mili¬ 
tant. At the present time all Christians should pray and plan 
and work for a permanent, thousand-year establishment of 
the Kingdom even on this sin-cursed earth. 

The Mustard Seed 

In verses 31 and 32, there is the parable of the mustard 
seed. “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a grain of 


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mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field: which 
indeed is less than all seeds [of such plants] : but when it is 
grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becometh a tree, so 
that the birds of heaven come and lodge in the branches 
thereof.”—R. V. Here in California the mustard takes the 
proportions of a tree rather than of a shrub. This parable 
represents the outward and visible development of the 
Church. Here are illustrated the initial insignificance and 
the ultimate extensive influence of the Kingdom. This con¬ 
trast between a small beginning and a great ultimate consum¬ 
mation, is wonderfully exemplified by Christianity. It began 
with a helpless babe in a manger. Then followed a simple 
childhood and youth, and the learning of a trade in an humble 
home in a little village of a tributary part of the Roman 
Empire. Of course, there was a perfect manhood of rare 
grace and self-sacrificing labor in teaching, healing, and com¬ 
forting His fellow countrymen. But He had no social, finan¬ 
cial, or political influence. Then, when about 33 years of 
age, the Founder was arrested on false charges, was tried, 
and crucified between two thieves. He left only twelve dis¬ 
ciples and about 120 followers. But, what was their commis¬ 
sion? “Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing 
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the 
Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever 
I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even 
unto the end of the world.”—Matt. 28:19, 20. “Go ye into 
all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.”— 
Mark 16:15. That commission meant that they must over¬ 
throw every false form of government, philosophy, and re¬ 
ligion. They must disciple all nations, and teach them the 
doctrines of our Holy Christianity. They must revolutionize 
and evangelize the whole world; so that finally it can be said : 
“The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of 
our Ford and of His Christ.”—Rev. 11:15. 

Well, what are the prospects for the realization of this 
most wonderful commission ? Fet us take a rapid survey of 
the world’s progress in political, moral, and religious affairs 
during the last quarter of a century. Hoary-headed China 


His Kingdom a Present Possession 101 

has stopped her opium smoking and foot-binding, has 
adopted our western system of education, has become a re¬ 
public, and has opened her gates to the Christian missionary. 
All India is waking up and cruel caste is losing its grip upon 
the despised masses, and there are great longings for deliver¬ 
ance from the sad gloom and despair of her atheistic panthe¬ 
ism. With pitiful appeals she is calling for the bread of life. 
Benighted Africa sees upon her eastern horizon the dawn 
of a brighter day; for the iron heel of German despotism 
will no longer enslave and grind to the dust her tribes. Her 
vast country, from Cairo to the Cape of Good Hope, is being 
opened up, her shackles are falling off, and under a wise 
and beneficent administration of a Christian nation, Africa 
will enter the millennium singing her glad hallelujahs. The 
whole of Europe has been convulsed to its very centre; but 
truth and righteousness have won their greatest victories over 
infidelity as represented by fiendish Huns, over Romanism 
as represented by tyrannical Austria, and over Unitarianism 
and Polygamy as represented by Turkey. But probably the 
greatest triumph of all has been the overthrow of Satan’s 
vile traffic in rum. It may be said that, with the exception 
of Mexico the whole continent of North America is getting 
under Prohibition. Also, Great Britain and France are fol¬ 
lowing us in these moral reforms. Even Russia has made 
immense progress in Temperance legislation. 

The mustard seed, that Christ planted in the hearts of His 
followers, is growing, and today the Christian Church is by 
far the greatest institution on this globe. Our Blessed Lord 
is now the only universal Man. His Birth Day is the only 
one celebrated in all nations. He is the one outstanding Per¬ 
sonality of all ages and towers infinitely above all the great 
names of both ancient and modern times. 

Also, Christianity in all realms of family and social, civil 
and religious life vastly transcends all other forces, and gives 
unmistakable promise of speedy supremacy in all the nobler 
elements of the highest civilization possible to the human 
race in this life. This Kingdom shall never fail—shall never 


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end—will last throughout eternity. It is ruling in the hearts 
of happy millions of earth today. It is, therefore, no wonder 
that the great nations are anxious to be called Christian. 

In this awful crisis of the world, it is comforting to know 
that the vast interests of humanity are especially in the hands 
of some remarkably able Christian statesmen. Truly, the 
parable of the mustard seed is being fulfilled before our 
very eyes. We are living in the climax of the ages when 
Christianity is the dominating power. “This is the Lord’s 
doing: it is marvelous in our eyes.”—Ps. 18:22. Christ 
said of Himself—“signifying what death He should die”— 
“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men 
unto me.”—Jno. 12:32, 33. Today the Crucified One, the 
Man of Galilee, the Son of David, the Son of God is attract¬ 
ing and commanding the attention and reverence and worship 
of all nations. This parable shows that the Gospel will 
achieve its destiny in world conquest during this Dispensa¬ 
tion. The “Signs of the Times” are propitious. Let all 
Christians take courage. 

The Leaven 

The fourth parable is contained in verse 33: “The king¬ 
dom of heaven is like unto leaven which a woman took and 
hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.” 
The preceding parable and this one illustrate similar truths. 
They both refer to the quiet and feeble beginning—humanly 
speaking—and to the final and glorious consummation of the 
Church of God. The mustard seed illustrates more especially 
the outward development and manifestations of the King¬ 
dom, while this one of the leaven directs attention to the 
silent, secret, and spiritual growth of the Kingdom in the 
hearts of believers. 

The kingdoms of this world begin their career by the 
roar of artillery, the charge of cavalry, and the noise of 
battle; but this Kingdom of peace and truth, of mercy and 
good-will, advances without trumpet and tumult, without 
clash of arms and fields of blood. This divine leaven of truth 
works on every side, atom upon atom, and finally perme- 


His Kingdom a Present Possession 103 

ates and changes the whole mass of humanity. Here is 
given a fine representation of the Gospel—a representation 
which shows that finally the Christian religion will overcome 
all opposition. This parable reveals the divine purpose— 
and that purpose is to leaven the whole world with the saving 
truth of Holy Scripture. “Truth is mighty and will prevail.” 

If Christianity were untrue, then failure would be its fate. 
But if the Gospel is true, then it is of God, and will finally 
overcome all evil forces. When the high priest and the coun¬ 
cil were planning how they might hinder Peter and the 
apostles in their work, the wise Gamaliel said: “Refrain 
from these men: for if this counsel or this work be of men 
it will come to naught: But if it be of God, ye cannot over¬ 
throw it.”—Acts 5 :38. Now, if Christianity is of God, it 
cannot be destroyed by either Adventists or infidels. 

But is this leaven working? We saw that the mustard 
seed was growing. The missionary propaganda of all the 
Christian Churches was never so much in evidence as at 
present. Our colleges—state as well as denominational—are 
discussing the Missionary Volunteer Movement, and thou¬ 
sands of young people are consecrating themselves for Chris¬ 
tian work. Further, the Missionary Societies of the Protes¬ 
tant Denominations are collecting larger amounts than ever 
for both Home and Foreign Fields. The great Methodist 
Churches of North America were fully committed to a vast 
scheme for the raising of over $100,000,000 in five years to 
equip and extend the borders of our Zion. Even during the 
War the British Wesleyans increased their missionary offer¬ 
ings. This is a period of unprecedented religious activity 
throughout Christendom. The taking of Jerusalem by the 
British Army has marked a new era in the onward march 
of civilization, and given a wonderful inspiration to all mis¬ 
sionary organizations. 

Another notable event, showing the progress of moral re¬ 
form, was the kind solicitude of President Wilson, Secretary 
Baker, Secretary Daniels, and General Pershing for the phys¬ 
ical, educational, social, and spiritual welfare of our soldier 
and sailor boys. Never before were armies and navies so 


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well provided with sympathetic, medical, and religious minis¬ 
tries. There were the Red Cross nurses and surgeons, the 
chaplains, the Salvation Army men and women, the Y. M. 
C. A. and the Y. W. C. A. workers—all rendering with ut¬ 
most zeal, competence, and courage their kind offices of 
mercy and consolation. These agencies pressed even into the 
trenches to render first aid to the wounded and to give spirit¬ 
ual consolation to the dying. Under these blessed influences, 
doubtless millions prayed in the trenches that never prayed 
in the Churches. 

Thus the silent leaven is working wonders in the very 
heart of humanity. A change is taking place in the thoughts 
of men. Korea, “the land of the morning calm,” is finding 
the way to the Saviour of the world. Japan, “the land of 
the rising sun,” is seeing “the Sun of Righteousness,” and in 
China the “Jesus man” has right of way. India is opening 
her heart and receiving cheering messages concerning the 
Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man, bleeding and 
agonized Europe is longing for the reign of the Prince of 
Peace, and the League of Nations, a federation of all peo¬ 
ples—is a consummation of utmost significance. It will 
establish a world Parliament for the good of mankind and 
the glory of God. 

Recently there has been an unusual political mortality 
among crowned heads. The Emperor of China led the pro¬ 
cession into a well-merited oblivion. Then followed the Czar 
of Russia to the Romanoff Rest Retreat—into salubrious? 
Siberia—and into the silent tomb. The Sultan of Turkey— 
for what place is he fit? Would not he and his houris adorn 
the last slum district in the world? Emperor Charles of 
Austria, the last of the Hapsburgs—thank the Good Lord— 
has retired from “the fierce light that beats upon a throne.” 
Last of all, and meanest of all, the cowardly Kaiser, with his 
killing Kultur, has sneaked under the robes of frightened 
Holland. Though Judas Iscariot and Pontius Pilate, though 
Pharaoh and Nero have all been outdone recently in hideous 
diabolism; yet the many and marvelous deliverances from 
tyranny are filling the heart of the Church with abounding 


His Kingdom a Present Possession 105 

joy. Several Kinglets and Princelings of Central Europe are 
escaping from the indignation of outraged peoples. Crowns 
and thrones, potentates and pontiffs are rapidly passing away 
to the great relief and benefit of mankind. Those royal 
parasites were nearly always degenerates themselves, as 
well as degraders and despoilers of their unhappy subjects. 
But this is the year of Jubilee. The human race is coming 
into its divine inheritance of civil and religious liberty. Let 
us celebrate the world’s emancipation; for the sad days of 
Sauls and Leopolds are going and the happier days of 
Samuels and Washingtons are coming. Our Heavenly Father 
started His people with democratic and theocratic principles 
of government, and was angry when Israel wanted a King; 
for He knew what kings would do. Today the world is 
coming back to blessed primitive simplicity and brotherhood 
in government. For all these returning and blessed liberties, 
the world is indebted to our Holy Christianity, which is God’s 
growing Kingdom, and which is destined to universal and 
eternal triumph over all opposing forces of evil. The world 
is getting better. 

Hid Treasure 

The fifth parable is recorded in verse 44: “Again the 
kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the 
which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof 
he goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.” 
Here is illustrated the intrinsic value of Christianity. How 
true it is that the Gospel is a hid treasure! It is hidden from 
the boastful and self-sufficient. Of such the Master once 
said: “I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, 
because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and pru¬ 
dent and hast revealed them unto babes.”—Matt. 11:25. 
Verily, “the secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him.” 
—Ps. 25 :14. But these self-inspired prophets, “having the 
understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of 
God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the 
blindness of their heart”—but these self-inspired prophets, 
seeing, see not, hearing, hear not, and discern not the will of 
God, and wander into ways of error. How greatly mistaken 


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are our premillennial friends! It is to be feared they are 
not among the “meek and lowly in heart,” seeking for the 
precious treasure of perfect love. They prefer gazing into 
the sky, looking for some wonderful apparitions. They savor 
of the carnal mind and indulge vain longings for the spec¬ 
tacular in religion. 


Goodly Pearls 

The sixth parable is found in verses 45, 46: “Again, the 
kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking 
goodly pearls; who, when he hath found one pearl of great 
price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” Notice, 
that two important characteristics are brought out here—the 
kingdom is of great value and it is obtainable. The one 
institution that is absolutely essential to the well-being of in¬ 
dividuals, families, and states, is this Kingdom of grace. 
What has made Germany the curse and the disgrace of man¬ 
kind? The answer is at hand—the complete rejection of our 
Lord’s teachings by the ruling classes. The rich, the learned, 
the nobles, and the war-lords were materialists, evolutionists, 
agnostics—just common, godless, abominable infidels in 
thought and practice. Rejecting the beneficent influences of 
Christ’s Gospel, a cruel Kaiser and a wicked pontiff forced 
the nations into a very hell of demoralization and destruc¬ 
tion. But Christianity saves the world and secures the propa¬ 
gation of the race. It is a moral necessity of every age, and 
is, therefore, of priceless value. 

Thank the Good Lord ! This Kingdom is attainable. The 
merchant having knowledge of values, went and sold his in¬ 
ferior possessions, and bought this “pearl of great price.” 
He acted wisely. Let us sacrifice the transitory and treach¬ 
erous pleasures of sin, and obtain this joyous kingdom of 
grace and glory. Does any one ask, when can I obtain this 
priceless treasure? Paul gives the answer: “Behold now is 
the accepted time: behold now is the day of salvation.”—2 
Cor. 6:2. Emphatically, this Gospel is for present realization 
for all that will pay the price. To say there is no kingdom 
now, is philosophically on a par with that insane dogma of 


His Kingdom a Present Possession 107 

Christian Science which asserts: “There is no sin.” This 
parable shows that the Kingdom of God is a valuable and 
an available possession—and available now. 

The Net 

The seventh parable and its interpretation are in verses 
47-50: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, 
that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: which 
when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and 
gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So 
shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come 
forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall 
cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and 
gnashing of teeth.” The great lesson taught here is this: 
The oneness of the Judgment. At the same time the good 
and the bad are appointed to their final destiny. This dis¬ 
poses of that unscriptural notion of two literal resurrections 
about 1,000 years apart. Indeed, the Scriptures always speak 
of only one general resurrection. Nowhere in the Bible— 
English or Greek—is the word resurrection found in the 
plural. The unanimous testimony of the Word is, that there 
will be but one resurrection and but one great Day of Judg¬ 
ment for all—good and bad. 

Notice verse 52, as given in the R. V.: “And He said 
unto them, every scribe who hath been made a disciple to 
the kingdom of heaven, is like unto a man that is an house¬ 
holder, who bringeth out of his treasures things new and 
old.” The above rendering— who hath been made a disciple 
—is more correct than that of the A. V. Evidently, Christ is 
here speaking of devout scribes who had already accepted 
Him as the Messiah and whom He had already put into His 
Kingdom. Now, who has authority to deny the direct state¬ 
ment of our Lord? Under the circumstances, who dares to 
deny the presence of the Kingdom ? 

These parables set forth the following prominent charac¬ 
teristics of this Dispensation of the Holy Spirit:— 

1. In explaining the first parable, the Saviour reminds 
His hearers that they are living in a time of unprecedented 


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blessings and revelations. These are His words: “For verily 
I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have 
desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen 
them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not 
heard them.” Here the Master shows us that His first Ad¬ 
vent was the time of which the prophets wrote and to which 
devout men looked forward as the time of final and fullest 
revelations concerning the divine plan of redemption. 

In passing, it should be stated that Second Adventists 
make a sad blunder when they ignore this glorious Dispensa¬ 
tion of the Holy Spirit, and blindly discern not that nearly 
all the great prophecies of the Old Testament are descriptive 
of the First Advent. The Messiah and His work of redemp¬ 
tion—these are the themes that burden the Law, the Proph¬ 
ets, and the Holy Writings. It is by a most fallacious 
exegesis that the Old Testament predictions are misplaced 
and applied to the Second Coming. This is quite evident, for 
the Second Advent has really little redemptive significance. 
Like the disciples, the Primitive Christians, the Martyrs, and 
the Reformers, we ourselves are enjoying in these last days 
all the blessings of the New Covenant of Gospel grace. 

This was Paul’s opinion and he expressed it clearly to the 
Corinthians—2 Cor. 3 :6-12: “Our sufficiency is from God : 
who also hath made us able ministers of the New Covenant: 
not of the letter; but of the Spirit: for the letter killeth, but 
the Spirit giveth life. And if the ministration of death en¬ 
graven in letters of stones was glorious, so that the children 
of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses, 
because of the glory of his face, which is abolished: Shall not 
rather the ministration of the Spirit be glorious? For if the 
ministration of condemnation was glory, much more doth the 
ministration of righteousness abound in glory. For if that 
which is abolished was glorious, much more that which re- 
maineth is glorious.” “Having therefore such hope we use 
great plainness of speech.”—Wesley’s Translation. (The 
italics are ours.) On the clause—“That which remaineth” 
—Mr. Wesley has this note: “That dispensation which re¬ 
mains to the end of the world.” Dear brethren, like the 


His Kingdom a Present Possession 109 

Corinthians, we are living in the “much more” “glorious” 
times of the Kingdom, which is destined to Christianize all 
earthly Kingdoms in this the final Dispensation. 

Recently I heard a somewhat noted propagandist of pre- 
millennialism publicly assert that we were not under the New 
Covenant and that the New Covenant would not be in force 
until the Second Coming of Christ. This misguided brother 
will find it difficult to make intelligent Christians prefer his 
bold assertions to Paul’s inspired statements: for we believe 
in “Jesus the mediator of the New Covenant.”—Heb. 12 :24. 

2. The parable of the Tares shows that there will be no 
separation of the wicked from the righteous until the end of 
the world. The Bible never speaks of two literal separations 
—one before the millennium and the Second at the Judgment 
Day. 

3. The mustard seed shows that though the Kingdom 
had a small beginning, it will ultimately attain unto universal 
triumph over all opposing forces in every realm of human 
affairs. 

4. The leaven shows that the very heart of humanity 
will be purified and enriched, that the mind will be trans¬ 
formed and illuminated, that the whole inner life of man¬ 
kind will be regenerated and sanctified. It is the glory of the 
Gospel that it provides a new birth for our fallen and lost 
race. 

5. The hid treasure indicates that the great blessings of 
the Kingdom are not for the thoughtless who are blinded by 
sin; but are available now to all real seekers of the truth. 
This precious treasure is not forced on any, but it is found 
by all sincere, penitent, believing souls. 

6. The pearl of great price represents the inestimable 
value of the Christian religion, and shows that in this life we 
must give up every evil, and make sacrifices for its possession 
and enjoyment. 

7. The net, like the parable of the tares, shows that there 
will be no separation till the end of the world. It is worthy 
of remark that this great truth, which Second Adventists 


110 


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most certainly need to know, is referred to by two of these 
Kingdom descriptive parables. We have “line upon line” 
against this heresy of two literal resurrections about 1,000 
years apart. 

8. Finally, to assure His hearers of the real presence of 
His glorious Kingdom, our Lord tells them of a scribe, who 
already had been made a disciple to His Kingdom. And 
from that time to this all sincere souls like the scribe have 
likewise been made partakers of the heavenly inheritance. It 
does appear, from a careful examination of these parables, 
that the main point in each case was intended by the Great 
Teacher to destroy a principal heresy of Premillennialism. 
Thus they assure us that we are living under the Gospel Dis¬ 
pensation—under the New Covenant of grace, and are 
partakers of the blessings of that most glorious Dispensation 
which was fully established, about 2,000 years ago, on the 
Great Day of Pentecost. With true prophetic wisdom, the 
Master uttered these parables which in their teachings 
directly oppose all the principal heresies of Premillennialism. 
These parable illustrations of the great characteristics of the 
Kingdom are clearly and fully Postmillennial. This thir¬ 
teenth chapter of Matthew gives our Lord’s teachings on the 
vexed question of the Second Coming and properly locates it 
at the end of the world. 

The history of Premillennialism is neither pleasant nor 
profitable reading. In every time of calamity or world-crisis, 
through all the Christian era, up come these Pseudo-prophets 
with their doleful dirge about the failure of Christianity, the 
corruption in the Church, the world getting worse and worse, 
the speedy end of Gospel ministries, and the immediate Com¬ 
ing of Christ. When this awful German War broke out, 
they were sure this time that the destruction of the wicked 
was at hand, that their own little flock of Adventists, scat¬ 
tered here and there, were about the only good people on the 
planet, that the American nation and the British Empire were 
really non-Christian, that vices in all forms were rampant 
everywhere, and that the great reaper would soon thrust in 


His Kingdom a Present Possession 111 

his sharp sickle and reap the harvest of the wicked. They 
imagined that sin was going to prevail and that Satan 
would have the great harvest of the world. 

They forget the first promise which God gave on this 
matter—which promise Satan heard—about the seed of the 
woman: “It shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise His 
heel.”—Gen. 3 :15. Notice that the wounding of the Son of 
Man was followed by a glorious resurrection; but the over¬ 
throw of Satan will be both fatal and eternal. Here is indi¬ 
cated the triumphant termination of the awful conflict against 
the powers of darkness. In the Garden of Eden God Him¬ 
self wrote victory on the banner of His Church. There will 
be no Rapture in the near future for a few Adventists; but 
at the end of time, there will begin an eternal Rapture for the 
vast multitude of the saved “whom no man can number.” 

They forget Paul’s declaration: “That where sin 
abounded, grace did much more abound.”—Rom. 5 :20. Also, 
they forgot this most blessed fact: “God sent not His Son 
into the world to condemn the world: but that the world 
through Him might be saved.”—Jno. 3:17. 

These calamity propagandists always intensify a serious 
situation. Let things look dark for the cause of Christ, let 
the wicked rise up in mighty power to destroy the liberties 
of mankind, then these unsent prophets, instead of cheering 
and comforting Christians and thus helping them to maintain 
their faith in the God of providence and grace, predict suc¬ 
cess for Satan and his hosts, and defame agencies for good. 
They most certainly discourage and confuse weak Christians. 
While they do not white-wash the devil, they do really black¬ 
ball the Church. 

In times of national peril it is treason, even to belittle 
the army and navy, to predict defeat and disaster to the 
forces. But these misinterpreters of Scripture defame the 
Church which is the Bride of Christ, dishonor the Captain of 
our Salvation before His enemies, and really raise the false 
cry of inefficiency against the blessed work of the Holy 
Spirit in the hearts of men. They surely underestimate the 
efficacy of the most precious blood of Atonement—the only 


112 


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remedy for sin—and slight the Inspired Word which is per¬ 
fect and sufficient for the enlightenment of the human race. 

Rather should we rejoice with Isaiah who predicted the 
glory of the spiritual presence of Messiah in this Dispensa¬ 
tion. Listen to his hopeful and inspiring predictions : “And 
in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon His name, 
declare His doings among the people, make mention that His 
name is exalted. Sing unto the Lord: for He hath done ex¬ 
cellent things: this is known in all the earth. Cry out and 
shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of 
Israel in the midst of thee.”—Is. 12 :4-6. By misplacing the 
Old Testament predictions, Second Adventists fall into many 
fatal fallacies: for the First Advent is the burden of the 
Bible. 


THESSALONIAN REFERENCES TO THE 
COMING PRIMARILY PROVE 
CHRIST’S DEITY 


THESSALONICA 

Thessalonica was an ancient city, founded 315 B. C. by 
Cassander, and named by him after his wife, who was a sister 
of Alexander the Great. It became a “free city,” and “was 
the seat of the proconsular administration of Macedonia, and 
an important military station.” “The geographer Strabo 
(about 24 B. C.) describes it as the most populous town of 
Macedonia.” It was situated on the via Egnatia, which was 
the great Roman road to the East, and it was 100 miles 
west of Philippi, where Paul founded the Mother Church of 
European Christianity. In the early middle ages it was 
called “the orthodox city.” “Below the city there stretched 
far to the southwest the broad and well sheltered Thermaic 
Gulf (now Gulf of Saloniki), with the snowy heights of 
Mount Olympus, the fabled home of the Greek gods, bound¬ 
ing the horizon.”—Cambridge Bible. Upon these snow¬ 
capped summits, about 10,000 feet high, and well in sight, 
just across the northwest corner of the 2Egean Sea, dwelt the 
twelve great gods of Greek mythology. Among them were 
Zeus, the supreme deity, whose temple was one of the Seven 
Wonders of the World, and Hera, his wife, and also Athena, 
who ranked with the superior goddesses and gave name to 
Athens. 

About the year 53 A. D., Paul in his second missionary 
journey, came to this famous city of commercial, political, 
military, and religious importance. Of course, the religious 
thought was developed and dominated by the neighboring 
Olympic deities. Though the apostle successfully preached 
the Gospel of Christ to the people, yet he was forced to leave 



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their city. However, being deeply interested in their spiritual 
welfare, he sends them these two epistles about 53-54 A. D., 
the first of which is the earliest of his extant letters. 

To these brethren he writes in a most affectionate manner. 
“He feels his life is bound up with them,” “boasts of them 
everywhere,” and “teaches them to glory in tribulation.” 
“These are eschatological epistles: That is, in the language 
of theology, they set forth ‘the last things in Christian doc¬ 
trine,—the Second Coming of Christ/ the raising of the 
dead and transforming of the living saints, and the judgment 
of the world.”—Cambridge Bible, p. 35. Here Paul and Silas 
met the most cultured form and the most learnedly en¬ 
trenched system of idolatry the world has ever seen—met 
Satan’s supreme effort in the domain of heathenism. Might¬ 
ily and bravely they attack the “falsity and wickedness” of 
idol worship, and endeavor to establish the Christian faith 
in this strategic center. 

The Purpose of the Epistles 

Sad to say, some have entirely missed the great purpose 
of the writer in these letters, and have made them the battle 
ground of Second Adventism. If we examine these misun¬ 
derstood passages which mention the Coming or Presence, 
we shall see that Paul was not discussing the Second Coming 
as commonly understood. But he was endeavoring to show 
that the Jewish Messiah was the real Incarnation of Deity, 
that, though Christ was crucified, He arose from the dead and 
ascended into Heaven, and that, at the end of the world, He 
will return as the Judge of all mankind. Paul’s elevation of 
thought and range of vision clearly show that he had this 
divinely inspired purpose in view; namely, to establish for¬ 
ever the universal and absolute preeminence of his Lord and 
Saviour as the Divine Son of “the living and true God,” as 
the Supreme Judge Eternal, and as infinitely superior to all 
the deities ever invented by the poets and philosophers of 
Greece and Rome. 

Let us now examine the “Coming” passages in the first 
epistle. 


References Prove Christ’s Deity 


115 


Passages that Mention the Coming 

1 Thes. 1:9, 10: “How ye turned to God from idols to 
serve the living and true God; and to wait for His Son from 
Heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, which 
delivered us from the wrath to come.” There is a fine antith¬ 
esis here between idols and the living and true God. Then 
follows the wonderful prediction that this Divine Son, who 
had already been “raised from the dead” and who had “de¬ 
livered us from the wrath to come,” will in due time descend 
“from Heaven.” That word wait, which is emphatic, was 
not heeded by the hasty Thessalonians; for at once they 
got up the first premillennial excitement about the immediate 
return of Christ, which return, after nearly 2,000 years, has 
not yet taken place. This waiting is for the Church in her 
corporate capacity—is for the Bride—and is not to be ex¬ 
pressed in years, but in centuries; for the Kingdom of God 
on earth, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, must endure long 
trials and achieve many triumphs before God’s plans for the 
ages are accomplished. The Kingdoms of this world have 
dominated it for about 6,000 years; and now the Kingdom of 
Heaven, after waging a good warfare against the enemies 
of God and man, will have its Millennium of supremacy over 
the powers of evil. Of course, the Church, which is the 
Bride, looks lovingly and longingly for her Lord’s Coming, 
which will be at the end of the world, and for which the 
Church must wait in patience. 

1 Thes. 2:19, 20: “For what is our hope, or joy, or re¬ 
joicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus 
Christ at His Coming ?” Here the emphasis is not upon “His 
Coming,” but upon the unspeakable “joy and rejoicing” of 
them all, when at last the apostle may present his Thessalo- 
nian brethren to the glorified Lord Jesus Christ. There is no 
greater happiness than that to which the apostle looks for¬ 
ward in hope. In preceding verses, there is reference to per¬ 
secutions, to opposition from his much loved fellow country¬ 
men, and to the hindering influence of Satan; but all these 
untoward circumstances drop into oblivion as he hopefully 
looks forward to the happy time when he may be able to 
present his spiritual children to their Blessed Saviour. Thus 


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we see that the phrase, “at His Coming,” in this passage, has 
no premillennial significance whatever, but is only incidental 
to the abounding joy of an evangelist over his converts when 
they meet their returning Redeemer. 

1 Thes. 3 :12, 13: “And the Lord make you to increase 
and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, 
even as we do toward you; to the end He may stablish your 
hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, 
at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.” 
In this chapter Paul pours forth the affection of his heart in 
fond petitions for his brethren that God may so establish 
them in holiness that they may be blameless when they stand 
in the Divine Presence at the Coming of our Lord Jesus 
Christ with all His saints to end the world. According to 
the margin of the Revised Version, the 13th verse may read: 
“To the end He may establish your hearts unblamable in hol¬ 
iness before God, even our Father, at the Presence of our 
Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.” Here the Greek 
Parousia, which is used seven times in these two Epistles, 
seems to have its root meaning of Presence. However that 
may be, Paul is not discussing the Second Advent—its time 
or manner—but is expressing the earnest prayer that when 
the Thessalonians are called upon to stand in the august and 
solemn Presence of the Almighty Saviour, they may be “un¬ 
blamable in holiness.” This passage gives no countenance to 
premillennial theories; for the word Parousia here has no 
chronological significance. The great thought is —fitness to 
appear before the Lord Jesus Christ. Again we see that the 
inspired anthor is not writing for Second Adventists. 

1 Thes. 4:13-17: “But I would not have you to be igno¬ 
rant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sor¬ 
row not, even as others which have no hope. For if we be¬ 
lieve that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which 
sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. For this we say 
unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive 
and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent 
[precede—R. V.] them which are asleep. For the Lord 
Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the 
voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the 


References Prove Christ’s Deity 


117 


dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and 
remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, 
to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the 
Lord.” 

In verse 13, the apostle indicates his belief in immortality, 
and assures us that we have hope of again seeing our loved 
ones that have fallen asleep in Jesus. Verse 14 shows that 
if we believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus, we 
should also believe that them “which sleep in Jesus will 
God bring with Him,” when He comes at the end of the 
world. That is, when the Saviour comes in final judgment, 
the saved of all nations and ages will be in His train. What 
countless multitudes! Verse 15 shows that those who may 
be on the earth at the time of the Advent shall have no pre¬ 
cedence over the departed; but it will be rather otherwise; 
for “the dead in Christ shall rise first.” This means that 
before the living are changed, the pious dead will enjoy their 
resurrection. Then the transforming of the living will im¬ 
mediately take place. In verse 16 we are told that the Lord 
Himself will descend from Heaven with a shout. What a 
shout those multitudinous millions will make! Then the 
voice of the archangel will be heard, the trump of God will 
be sounded, and the millions entombed on mountains, in val¬ 
leys, and in ocean depth, will all hear and come forth. At 
that time bodies and souls will be reunited never again to 
be separated—the living will be changed, and all the righteous 
will be glorified. 

The Meeting and Waiting in the Air 

Verse 17 gives the closing scene of this most important 
passage. After the Lord and His hosts of angels and saints 
have made their appearance in the heavens, and after the 
dead have been raised and the living changed, then shall all 
the righteous be caught up into “the clouds to meet the Lord 
in the air.” These plain statements utterly ignore all mun¬ 
dane imaginary phenomena about a new Jerusalem of ma¬ 
terial splendour and celestial glory on this earth—a combina¬ 
tion as unscriptural as it is unnatural. 


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When Christ Comes He Will Take us to His Home 

in Heaven 

Notice the final announcement—“So shall we ever be with 
the Lord.” He does not come to live with us, but He does 
come to take us to live with Him. This is according to the 
promise made to His disciples: “I go to prepare a place for 
you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come 
again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there 
ye may be also.”—Jno. 14:2, 3. Thus this great passage 
exposes the fallacies of premillenarians and flatly contradicts 
their principal contentions. 

These passages have been much misunderstood, and have 
been used to teach the unscriptural dogma of two literal 
resurrections, when in fact no such teaching is found in this, 
or in any other portion of the Bible. Here, moreover, Paul 
gives us the order of events in the resurrection—first, the 
dead are raised, and, secondly, the living are changed “in a 
moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” Evidently the Almighty 
raises and changes in immediately succeeding periods of time. 

But some hasty persons, using a mistaken exegesis, must 
have asserted that Paul himself expected an immediate return 
of his Lord. For this grievous error caused an injurious ex¬ 
citement at Thessalonica. In how many cases Premillenarian 
preaching has created consternation and has wrought disaster 
in the Church! Strange to say, every now and then, this 
baneful heresy has arisen, and in some cases has produced 
widespread religious desolation and the usual crop of pseudo¬ 
prophets and real unbelievers. 

1 Th. 5:1, 2: “But of the times and seasons, brethren, 
ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know 
perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in 
the night.” The phrase, “the Day of the Lord,” is frequently 
used in the Old Testament, and “has chiefly, if not exclusive¬ 
ly, a judicial aspect.” “This meaning the expression carries 
over into the New Testament, and ‘the Day of the Lord’ is 
synonymous with the day of Judgment.” Consequently, the 
reference here is not to any premillennial Advent, but to the 
last day when the Judgment of all, good and bad, will take 
place. Thus it is seen that this passage in no wise aids the 


References Prove Christ’s Deity 119 

premillenarians: since it refers, not to the Second Advent, 
but to the Judgment Day, and exhorts us to make due prep¬ 
aration for our appearance in the Divine Presence of the 
Judge* 

Further, the fact that Paul used these earnest words on 
preparedness for judgment, nearly 2,000 years ago, shows 
that he was writing, not only for the Thessalonians, but for 
the Church Universal, concerning the Kingdom of God. 
When these inspired letters were written, the Gospel was 
just beginning its blessed mission, and can we not see that 
even today the Bride is not ready for her Lord ? Evidently, 
she will need 1,000 years of relief from the wiles of the 
Devil in order to prepare for the Coming of the Bridegroom. 

1 Thes. 5 :23: “And I pray God your whole spirit and 
soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of 
our Lord Jesus Christ.” According to the Cambridge Bible a 
more accurate reading would be: “In full integrity may 
your spirit and soul and body be preserved,—blamelessly en¬ 
tire in the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The true 
meaning of the passage is simply this—Paul desired that his 
beloved brethren might be found ready to appear in the 
Presence of their Lord at the appointed time, whenever that 
might be. Again the emphasis is on preparedness for appear¬ 
ance before the Son of God as Judge Supreme. 

On examination one finds that there is nothing in this 
first epistle to justify the use that must have been made of 
it by ill-informed persons in fomenting the first premillen- 
nial excitement in the history of the Christian Church. 
Now, as then, careless readers do not see that these inspired 
exhortations were intended to promote personal piety and 
that premillennialism never once appears in the mental hori¬ 
zon of the apostle. But materially minded people vainly sigh 
for the Rapture of an earthly Kingdom of this world. They 
localize, materialize, and circumscribe the comprehensive and 
all important purposes of the apostle, who was most anxious 
to promote the spiritual life of the Thessalonians. 


*See Cambridge Bible in loc. 



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But it may be asked, Why does Paul so often speak of 
the Coming? The Greek word for Coming is Parousia, 
which is derived from the verb Pareimi, and which, according 
to Liddell and Scott means—“To be by or present.” There¬ 
fore the meaning of Parousia is—“A being present, pres¬ 
ence.” Westcott and Hort, as well as Thayer, all give 
Presence as the first meaning of Parousia. Also, it is so 
translated in certain New Testament passages. Now, it is 
evident that Paul’s anxiety was not about the Coming of the 
Saviour; but that these Thessalonians should at the last 
day stand well in the Presence of the Lord. They all have 
died, and yet the Saviour has not come; but long ago have 
they been called to stand in His glorious Presence. 

Again, it may be asked, Why did the apostle use such 
personal and urgent language? In Rom. 7:14, 19, 24, we 
find the following statements:—“For we know that the law 
is spiritual; but I am carnal sold under sin”; “For the good 
that I would I do not; but the evil which I would not that 
I do”; “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me 
from the body of this death?” Now we know that Paul was 
not then a “wretched man” in that sense, that he did not 
do “evil,” and that he was not “carnal, sold under sin.” But 
he goes back to the sad memories of a bitter repentance, 
and identifies himself with the true penitent. In this way he 
shows sympathy and gives personal momentum to his words. 
Likewise when Paul said in 1 Th. 4:15, “We which are alive 
and remain,” etc., he did not intend them to imagine that he 
expected to live until the Saviour returned. He was simply 
using a figure of speech, and wished to remind them not so 
much about the Coming of Jesus, as about the fact that in the 
natural order of things, they must soon stand in His glorious 
Presence. They did not understand Paul’s earnestness, and 
their hasty speculations created a destructive excitement 
which led to harmful results. 

In Paul’s Mind the Coming Was a Final and Great 

Proof of Christ’s Deity 

But why did Paul so often refer to the Parousia —the 
Presence or Coming ? Bear in mind that this letter was writ- 


References Prove Christ's Deity 121 

ten to a city of importance in the Roman Empire. Being 
a military center on the great highway to the East, the people 
were familiar with the pomp and splendor of imperialism. 
Now, to these people of consideration, Paul preaches a Cru¬ 
cified Saviour—Jesus that “died and rose again”—and that 
only by this same Lord Jesus Christ, we all, Jews and Gen¬ 
tiles, must obtain Salvation. But these proud Macedonians 
acquainted with Greek learning, familiar with the snowy 
heights of Olympus, worshipers of Olympic Zeus, Athena, 
and their other many gods and goddesses, accustomed to 
render divine honors to many divinities, and having knowl¬ 
edge of Jupiter Capitolinus, and Juno, and the gods held 
sacred by the Romans—these people would not be inclined 
to believe in Jesus of Nazareth, the Crucified Jew of Judaea, a 
despised province of the Roman Empire. Now, how can 
Paul best present his Lord and Saviour to these proud and 
powerful idolaters, whose temples in splendour and magnifi¬ 
cence adorned the most famous cities of antiquity? How 
can they be compelled intellectually to accept the “Man 
of Sorrows,” that died without the gate at Jerusalem, as the 
Divine Son of “the living and true God,” and as their per¬ 
sonal Saviour from sin and eternal ruin? 

Mythological Incarnations 

Fortunately Paul was familiar with the Greek language 
and literature. He knew of their deities, and of their demi¬ 
gods—the illicit offspring of their gods and the fair daughters 
of earth. According to some, Hellen, “the mythological an¬ 
cestor of the Hellenes or Greeks,” was the Son of Zeus and 
Dorippe. Nereus, a sea-god, was the grandfather of Achilles. 
The Titans were the descendants of Uranus and Ge; that 
is in English, they were the descendants of Heaven and 
Earth. Romulus, the founder of Rome, was the son of 
Mars and Silvia, a vestal virgin; Hera herself, according to 
legend, gave birth supernaturally to Hephaestus; and Athena 
was born out of the head of Zeus. Also, Hesiod mentions an 
age of demi-gods. See Smith's Classical Dictionary. 

The apostle, learned in classical and legendary lore, knew 
well that Greeks and Romans were familiar with incarna- 


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tions and supernatural births; and, therefore, undertook to 
show that the Crucified Christ, whom he preached, was in 
truth the Son of God as well as the Son of Man. In the 
very first verse of this first epistle he uses these two phrases: 
“God the Father” and “God our Father.” Then in the 9th 
and 10th verses of this same chapter, he makes these great 
statements: “and how ye turned to God from idols to serve 
the living and true God; and to wait for His Son from 
Heaven, whom He raised from the dead even Jesus, which 
delivered us from the wrath to come.” 

Having thus stated the relationship of Christ to God the 
Father, Paul constantly reminds the cultured Greeks that 
the Jewish Messiah was the real and only Incarnation of 
Deity, that He was raised from the dead, that Paul and his 
associates were fellow laborers in the Gospel of Christ, that 
men ought to keep the commandments given by the Lord 
Jesus, that much depends on our believing “that Jesus died 
and rose again,” and that the time is coming when the Son of 
“the living and true God” will descend from Heaven in inef¬ 
fable majesty, and glorify the righteous dead and the right¬ 
eous living, who will meet Him in the air and be taken by 
Him up into Heaven, there to dwell for ever with their 
Blessed Redeemer, the Son of God. 

Therefore, we see that Paul's frequent references to the 
Parousia, the Presence, the Coming, are intended to give 
prominence to the Deity, the Divine Sonship, of the Saviour. 
On the one hand, there was the appalling humiliation in His 
cruel death on the cross for the sins of the world; but on 
the other hand, there was His glorious Resurrection, Ascen¬ 
sion and Enthronement with His Father in Heaven. The 
apostle further mentions the Father’s purpose in all this: 
“For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain sal¬ 
vation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us.”—I Thes. 
5 :9, 10. 

The apostle, in showing that Jesus rose from the dead, 
gave these heathen people a sufficient basis for intelligent 
faith in His Divine Sonship: for at that time there were 
abundant and available evidences of His resurrection. Con¬ 
sequently, Paul had a right to press home to heart and mind 


References Prove Christ’s Deity 


123 


and conscience, their need to make peace with this Returning 
Son of God who would bring all to Judgment. 

To these cultured idolators, who worshiped gods of 
gold and ivory, set up in marble temples which were the pride 
of great cities, is preached the true Incarnation of Deity— 
an Incarnated One who has proved the truth of His claim 
to Divine Ancestry by coming forth from the dead, and who 
will again prove it by manifesting His Presence amid celes¬ 
tial glories at the end of the world as the universal Judge 
of all. 

These statements are abundantly confirmed by Paul him¬ 
self in his second epistle which we may now consider. 

2 Thes. 1:6-10: “Seeing it is a righteous thing with God 
to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; And to 
you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus 
shall be revealed from Heaven with His mighty angels, in 
flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, 
and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 
Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the 
presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 
When he shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be 
admired in all them that believe (because our testimony 
among you was believed) in that day.” 

There is no reference here to a throne at Jerusalem and 
a personal reign of Christ on earth for a thousand years. 
The apostle’s range of vision vastly transcends such paltry 
mundane notions. But he beholds the Lord Jesus, revealed 
from Heaven with mighty angels, taking vengeance on the 
wicked who were banished forever from His Gracious 
Presence, while the Lord Himself is glorified and admired by 
His saints, not in any earthly Kingdom; but in the blissful 
realms of the eternal dwelling place of the Most High. 

Paul Severely Rebukes the Thessalonian 
Premillennialists 

2 Thes. 2:1, 2: “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the 
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering to¬ 
gether unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be 
troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as 


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from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man 
deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, ex¬ 
cept there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be 
revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth 
himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; 
so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing him¬ 
self that he is God.” 

Here it is clearly stated that the Thessalonians had ut¬ 
terly mistaken the purpose of the first epistle. Some short¬ 
sighted persons vainly imagined that the full content of the 
epistle would be accomplished in their day. Feeling quite 
important, they thought that with them would end the Gospel 
Dispensation, and that they would live to witness the great 
consummation. They sadly lacked both intelligence and large¬ 
ness of heart—qualities generally lacking in self-made 
prophets. As people become heretical, they become self-cen¬ 
tered and exclusive. Of course, they would belong to the 
144,000, and place themselves upon the very apex of the Al¬ 
mighty’s plans for the world, and would even claim precedence 
over the millions of “the noble army of Martyrs.” Moreover, 
it appears that some of these premillenarians were really un¬ 
principled. Certain of them pretended that a spirit had re¬ 
vealed to them privately that the Lord’s Return was at hand. 
Others intimated that Paul had favored them personally by 
word of mouth that the Second Coming was imminent. Then 
another set intimated that Paul had honored them with writ¬ 
ten information on the subject. Under these dishonorable 
circumstances, the apostle emphatically warns the Church 
not to be “shaken in mind,” not to “be troubled” by these pre¬ 
tenders to special information by some spirit, or by some 
word or letter as from himself—that “the day of Christ is 
at hand.” It seems that during all the Christian Era, Satan 
has had special success in calling and inspiring pseudo¬ 
prophets for the propagation of false alarms. Therefore, 
Paul openly exposed the Thessalonian pretenders. He even 
denounces the fomenters of this first Second Advent excite¬ 
ment, and earnestly warns the Church —“Let no man deceive 
you by any means.” 


References Prove Christ’s Deity 125 

The Papacy Will Run Its Course Before the Advent 

Then he proceeds to describe a monstrous apostasy that 
will run its course before the Coming. “That man of sin,” 
“that son of perdition, who opposeth and exalteth himself 
above all that is called God,” that “mystery of iniquity,” that 
“wicked one whose coming is after the working of Satan 
with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with a de- 
ceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish”—that 
awful apostasy must take place first. In the foregoing dread¬ 
ful statements Paul informs us that the cruel and dismal 
Dark Ages of the Papacy must precede the Return. 

Further, the apostle John in the twentieth chapter of 
Revelation places the 1,000 years, when righteousness shall 
reign in the earth, before the appearance of the Judge upon 
His great white throne. Thus by these two inspired apostles 
the Advent is placed in the somewhat distant future. Though 
Paul placed only the sad centuries of papal wickedness and 
moral desolation before the glorified Saviour would reveal 
Himself to the world, that was enough to stop the mouths of 
all the false prophets at Thessalonica and save the Church 
from the extravagances of premillennialism for that time and 
for many succeeding centuries. 

In concluding this second letter the apostle desires their 
prayers, that “we may be delivered from unreasonable and 
wicked men.”—2 Thes. 3 :5. Then he adds: “The Lord 
direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient 
waiting for Christ” In the R. V. the last expression is—“into 
the patience of Christ.” Also, it is so rendered in the margin 
of the A. V. Evidently the word “waiting” is an interpola¬ 
tion. In any case, Paul’s intention was to calm the excite¬ 
ment of the rash ones who lacked good judgment and a 
spiritual understanding and misinterpreted his references to 
our Lord and Saviour. Even today, immature and ill-in¬ 
formed Christians do not stop to realize that the Bride is 
not ready for the Bridegroom, and that she will require a 
whole millennium in which to prepare for His Coming. 

It is perfectly natural and proper for the followers of 
Christ to repeat the last petition in the Bible: “Even so, 


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come, Lord Jesus.” The souls of the saints under the altar 
in the Heavenly Temple were heard by John the Revelator 
to express a similar desire. They prayed for a somewhat 
speedy solution of earth’s vast problems. “How long, O 
Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our 
blood on them that dwell on the earth?”—Rev. 6:10. Then 
they were asked to wait until their fellow servants should 
be numbered with the blest. Also, “white robes were given” 
unto them. In like manner we must bear with our mistaken 
and overzealous brethren that are in such hot haste for a 
visible Presence. Let the Bride patiently wait and work and 
prepare: for in due time her Lord will come. Now are the 
days of toil and suffering that the world may be brought to 
Christ. He will come for us in His own good time. 

Conclusion 

From the foregoing facts we conclude: 

1. Paul did not preach that the Second Coming was 
imminent. 

2. On the other hand he prayed that the Thessalonians 
might be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men, who 
were exciting and deceiving the people by false alarms about 
the Coming. 

3. But he made frequent allusions to the Lord’s coming 
for the following reasons: 

(a) Because he desired that Greeks, Romans, and all 
nations should know that the Lord Jesus Christ was not a 
mere Son of man, was not a son of Zeus or Jupiter; but that 
He was the Son of “the living and true God.” 

(b) Because he wished all to believe in the Jewish Mes¬ 
siah, who is the true Divine Incarnation, who came from 
Heaven, who died for our lost race, who rose from the dead, 
who ascended into Heaven, and who will return as the Eter¬ 
nal Judge of all at the end of the world. 

(c) Because he desired the Thessalonians to receive this 
God-man, this Theandros, as their personal Saviour, and 
thus be prepared to meet Him when He returns to judge all 
nations. 


References Prove Christ’s Deity 


127 


4. The absorbing purpose of the apostle was to so pre¬ 
sent Christ in His Divine and all-glorious Personality that 
the people might forsake the idol temples of their Olympic 
deities and accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour and 
God. 

5. Therefore, these frequent references to the Coming, 
have no chronological significance. Indeed, Premillennialism 
has no place in these letters; for the supreme purpose in 
the writer’s mind was to present his Crucified and Glorified 
Lord as the true Son of God and as the only Saviour of 
sinful men. By presenting Christ in the transcendent glory 
of His Second Advent the apostle places Him far above 
all heathen deities. In the whole range of mythology, there 
is no description of any deity that is at all comparable to 
the glorious revelations here given of the Incarnate Christ 
who is the Son of God as well as the Son of Man. The in¬ 
spired declarations concerning our Blessed Lord infinitely 
transcend the finest passages of Homer and Hesiod in de¬ 
scribing their heathen deities. 

The Christian’s Redeemer is the all-glorious Personality 
of human history. Possessing infinite goodness and solitary 
grandeur, He stands out amid the centuries as “the Light of 
the world.” Well might the learned Paul, even in sight 
of the snowy summits of sacred Olympus and in full knowl¬ 
edge of the gods there enthroned in imagination—well might 
he set forth the vastly surpassing dignity and glory of his 
own Crucified Saviour, who broke the bands of death, who 
passed up into the heavens far beyond all worlds, and who 
accompanied with indescribable majesty and numberless 
hosts of saints and celestial beings, will return in “the Day 
of the Lord” and assemble before Him, in the upper air , the 
whole human race for final and eternal Judgment. Here the 
vast range and purpose of Paul’s vision, infinitely transcends 
and ignores all premillennial vagaries. Thanks be unto the 
Father for His well-beloved Son who is both our Saviour 
and final Judge, and for Plis Holy Spirit, who both en¬ 
lightens our minds and illuminates the Sacred Page; so that 
we understand the plans of the Most High, and discern the 
Signs of the Times; so that we believe in the ultimate and 


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world-wide triumph of the Church, against which “the gates 
of hell shall not prevail”; so that we look for a coming age 
when the Kingdom of God will fill the earth with “righteous¬ 
ness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.” Therefore, we 
will wait and work till the end of time when we expect to 
meet our Lord in the air, and go with Him up to His Heav¬ 
enly Home of eternal peace and blessedness. “O the depth 
of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” 
“For of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things: 
to whom be glory forever. Amen.”—Rom. 11:33, 36. 

Thou King of saints! forever reign 
O’er all the earth as thy domain; 

Thy Church extend from pole to pole, 

And nations all for Christ enroll. 

Thy Kingdom come, O Blessed Lord! 

Let ministers so preach Thy Word 
That Gospel truth, so long denied, 

May have free course—be glorified. 

With Spirit’s power thy hosts endue 
To make our fallen race anew; 

And earth millennial rest enjoy, 

When cruel kings no more destroy. 

May Gospel freedom, peace, and grace, 

The hate and strife of war displace, 

And fill our world with hope serene, 

And make the love of God supreme. 

Ps. 110:1: “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou 
at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” 

Heb. 1:13: “But to which of the angels said He at any 
time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy 
footstool ?” 

Christ will not return until the Holy Spirit has brought 
the world to the feet of Jesus, Who then will reign over it 
spiritually during the Millennium. 


PART IV 


FOREWORD 

In the Apocalypse of Daniel and in that of St. John, 
Postmillennialism is clearly revealed. But at present spe¬ 
cial attention is directed to the Apocalypse of our Blessed 
Lord. The disciples have now been with Jesus for over 
three years, and have heard about His plans and purposes, 
and knew the significance of their questions concerning “these 
things” and “all these things” (which referred to the city 
and temple), the Second Coming, and the end of the world. 
This phrase, “the end of the world,” had been so used in the 
Parable of the Tares as to fix its meaning as the end of all 
things. See Matt. 13:39, 40, 49. 

Especially, it should be remembered that the four dis¬ 
ciples, Peter, James, John and Andrew, went to the Lord 
privately, and asked their questions. This Apocalypse, there¬ 
fore, was given in a conversation and not in a discourse. 
Thus, this word “privately” is the key word, because it im¬ 
plies questions and explanations, and this explains the ap¬ 
parent confusion in our Lord’s answers. 

In general the order in Matthew has been followed. 

May the Good and Holy Spirit so illuminate our minds 
and the Sacred Page that we may understand these wonderful 
Revelations of our Blessed Lord! 























The Apocalypse—World Program 
of Our Blessed Lord 


CHRIST’S PRELIMINARY STATEMENTS 

Matt. 24:1-3: “And Jesus went out, and departed from 
the temple: and His disciples came to Him for to show Him 
the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See 
ye not all these things ? Verily, I say unto you, There shall 
not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be 
thrown down. And as He sat upon the Mount of Olives, 
the disciples came unto Him privately, saying, Tell us, when 
shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of Thy 
coming, and of the end of the world?” 

In Mark 13:1-4, the account is nearly the same. In one 
respect Mark is more specific: he names the four disciples 
that asked Him “privately” about the future. They were 
Peter, James, John and Andrew. 

In Luke 21:5-7, there is a somewhat briefer account. 

The Temple at Jerusalem was the joy and pride of the 
nation, and the disciples had just been admiring its beauty 
and grandeur. But the Master as they were leaving the city, 
to their grief and utter amazement, informed them that the 
time was coming when their holy house would be made a heap 
of ruins. Then as the Saviour was seated on the Mount of 
Olives, the disciples came to Him privately and asked Him 
to tell them about these momentous events of the future—es¬ 
pecially were they interested in the fate of Jerusalem. 

It ought to be remembered that this is not a discourse, 
but an important private conversation with His disciples on 
matters of profound interest. This Apocalypse is the Lord’s 
World Program —is a Revelation of outstanding events that 
will vitally concern the Church in her conflicts and triumphs, 
and that will make known the glories of His Second Coming 



at the End of the World. Now, since it was a private con¬ 
versation, there was certainly liberty of speech, and the 
Saviour seeing the anxiety of His disciples, gave sympathetic 
attention and gracious answers to their questions. Thus, the 
reader taking interruptions into account, is greatly aided in 
understanding these wonderful revelations, and sees why 
the Saviour cannot always follow logical sequences. Also 
the reader, giving thoughtful and prayerful consideration, 
can discern the import of this infinitely important conversa¬ 
tion which is recorded in the 24th and 25th chapters of 
Matthew, the 13th chapter of Mark, and the 21st chapter of 
Luke. While answering their second and third questions, 
there were interruptions which necessitated abrupt changes 
of subject. But the Master, desiring to comfort His sorrow¬ 
ing disciples, kindly stops to give the desired information. 


THEIR FIRST QUESTION—“WHEN 
SHALL THESE THINGS BE?” 


THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CITY AND TEMPLE 

He Warns Against Deceivers 

Matt. 24:4-5 : “And Jesus answered and said unto them, 
Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come 
in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.” 
Also in Mark 13:5-6 and in Luke 21:8, there are similar 
warnings. The Saviour foresaw that unreliable persons 
would endeavor to lead the people astray. It is worthy of 
note that these far-reaching predictions are prefaced by such 
solemn cautions against false teachers who are ever active in 
propagating their miserable heresies. St. John bears testi¬ 
mony to the fulfillment of this sign: “Even now are there 
many anti-christs, whereby we know that it is the last time.” 
—I John 2:18. Truly “this is the last time”; for we have 
the Atonement in Christ’s most precious Blood, and the more 
glorious ministry of the Holy Spirit, and the Word of God. 
This is the last and supreme effort of the Most High for the 
salvation of man. 

The Master Predicts Wars and Rumors of Wars 

Matt. 24:6-8: “And ye shall hear of wars and rumors 
of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things 
must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall 
rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom: and there 
shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers 
places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” It is said 
in Mark 13:7, 8: “And when ye shall hear of wars and 
rumors of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must 
needs be; but the end shall not be yet. For nation shall rise 
against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall 
be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines 



134 


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and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.” Luke 
21:9-l 1: “But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, 
be not terrified; for these things must first come to pass, but 
the end is not by and by.” This last clause is better rendered 
in the Revised Version: “But the end is not immediately.” 

Persecutions 

Matt. 24:9-10: “Then shall they deliver you up to be 
afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all na¬ 
tions for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, 
and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.” 
In Mark 13:9, it is said: “But take heed to yourselves; for 
they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues 
ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and 
kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.” Luke 
21:12-19 gives a fuller prediction of these persecutions : “But 
before all these, they shall lay hands on you, and persecute 
you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, 
being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake. 
And it shall turn to you for a testimony. Settle it therefore 
in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: 
For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your ad¬ 
versaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. And ye shall 
be betrayed both by parents and brethren, and kinsfolks, and 
friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. 
And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake. But 
there shall not an hair of your head perish. In your patience 
possess ye your souls.” 

Special attention should be given to this gracious and 
blessed promise recorded in Luke 21:14: “Settle it there¬ 
fore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall 
answer: For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all 
your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.” The 
loving Saviour knew that peasant Christians would be rushed 
before pompous heathen and papal rulers, amid raging mobs, 
and He wished to comfort and calm their minds by the 
assurance of the Divine Presence who would give them the 
proper thoughts and words wherewith to meet the terrific or¬ 
deals. Mark 13:11: “But whatsoever shall be given you in 
that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the 


“When Shall These Things Be?” 


135 


Holy Ghost.” This is plenary , verbal inspiration, notwith¬ 
standing these so-called learned critics. How minute and 
blessed are the ministries of our Loving Lord to His dear 
children when sorely tried by the wicked! The Ten Perse¬ 
cutions by the heathen Caesars were neither so cruel nor so 
extensive as those of the so-called Christian Pontiffs; for the 
hypocrite is worse than the heathen. These promises are 
for the Church in all ages. 

The purpose of the Saviour in this whole conversation 
is to prepare His followers for a world-wide conflict lasting 
for centuries, and culminating in world-wide conquest 
through the preaching of the glorious Gospel of the King¬ 
dom. 

“Philo and Josephus describe the disturbed state of 
Judaea from this time to the siege of Jerusalem. Massacres 
of the Jews were perpetrated at Caesarea, at Alexandria, in 
Babylon and in Syria.”—Cambridge Bible for Schools and 
Colleges on Matt. 24:6. At this time Rome was governed 
by such men as the execrable Tiberius, in whose wicked 
reign our Blessed Lord was crucified; and Caligula, who 
“declared himself divine,” and wished that “the people of 
Rome had but one neck” that he might slay the city at one 
stroke; and Nero, a monster of iniquity, who, it is supposed, 
burned a part of the city to make room for his “Golden 
House,” and by whom “the city was filled with funerals.” At 
this time the vast empire of imperial Rome was beginning 
to feel the disintegration of moraj decay. 

But “the blood of the martyrs was the seed of the 
Church.” The Ten Persecutions of the Primitive Church 
are generally given as follows: Under Nero, 64 A. D.; 
Domitian, 95; Trajan, 107; Hadrian, 125; Marcus Aurelius, 
165; Septimus Severus, 202; Maximinus, 235; Decius, 249; 
Valerianus, 257; Diocletian, 303. During these persecutions 
rivers of blood flowed in many parts of the Roman Empire. 

Then during the Dark Ages and many succeeding cen¬ 
turies, the vile papacy put to death “probably no less than 
68,500,000 human beings.” Well might the Blessed Saviour 
return to, and linger over the sacrifices of millions of martyrs. 
See Notes on Revelation by Albert Barnes, p. 276. 


136 


The World Program 


False Prophets Again Denounced 

Matt. 24:11-13: “And many false prophets shall rise, 
and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, 
the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure 
unto the end, the same shall be saved.” The false prophet 
has ever been in evidence. He frequently appears in the Old 
Testament, and he early makes his appearance in the New 
Testament. At Thessalonica he raises a false alarm about the 
return of the Saviour. To correct his unauthorized state¬ 
ments, Paul in his second epistle (2:1-3), publicly and sharp¬ 
ly rebukes those connected with this first Premillennial ex¬ 
citement. These self-inspired and self-sent propagandists 
have often sorely perplexed and disturbed the Christian 
Church. 

Morover, during the last few decades, in many very pre¬ 
tentious institutions of learning, what a multitude of savants 
have been predicting that materialism, in one of its most 
repulsive forms, would be universally accepted. The Saviour 
knew well that the human “heart is deceitful above all things 
and desperately wicked.”—Jer. 17:9. And He foresaw that 
in Churches and schools there would be false preachers and 
false teachers who would betray the truth as it is manifested 
in both nature and revelation. God deliver the world from 
heresies and fallacies! Against these wicked deceivers loom 
the just judgments of the Almighty. 

The Conversion of the Gentiles 

Matt. 24:14: “And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be 
preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and 
then shall the end come.” This prediction is fuller in Luke 
21:24: “And Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gen¬ 
tiles, until the times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled.” It 
appears that neither Matthew nor Mark mention this predic¬ 
tion about the conversion of the Gentile nations; but Paul 
mentions it in a very emphatic way in Rom. 11:25: “For 
I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mys¬ 
tery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blind¬ 
ness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the 
Gentiles be come in.” This means that in due time the Gen- 


“When Shall These Things Be?” 


137 


tiles will accept Christianity and, after that event, the Jews 
will recognize their own Messiah, according to the prophecy 
of Zechariah 12:10: “And I will pour upon the house of 
David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of 
grace and of supplications; and they shall look upon Me 
whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as 
one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for 
Him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born.” The con¬ 
version of the nations will be such an overwhelming proof of 
the truth of Christianity, that the Jews at last will be con¬ 
vinced that Jesus of Nazareth is their own true Messiah. 
Then will the Kingdom of God, which Paul declares “is 
not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace and joy in 
the Holy Ghost”—then will that glorious Kingdom be the 
first and last and only real world empire. That universal 
Kingdom will be the longed-for Millennium. The recent 
Zionist Movement and the fact that Great Britain has under¬ 
taken the suzerainty of the Holy Land, give great promise of 
happy days for our long-exiled Jewish brethren and for the 
whole human family. 

Daniel's Prophecy 

Matt. 24:15: “When ye therefore shall see the abomina¬ 
tion of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in 
the holy place (whoso readeth let him understand).” Mark 
13:14: “But when ye shall see the abomination of desola¬ 
tion, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it 
ought not (let him that readeth understand), then let them 
that be in Judaea flee to the mountains.” Luke does not 
make mention of Daniel, but simply says: “And when ye 
shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that 
the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in 
Jerusalem flee to the mountains.”—Luke 21:20, 21. 

Here the Master gives specific predictions of the destruc¬ 
tion of the city and temple by the Romans, and refers to 
Daniel 9:26: “And after three-score and two weeks shall 
Messiah be cut off, but not for Himself: and the people of 
the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and sanctu¬ 
ary.” Undoubtedly, pious Jews by studying Daniel and his 


138 


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dates, recognized their significance, and read the signs of the 
times aright. There were some that thus knew their Mes¬ 
siah. It is said that “a great company of the priests be¬ 
lieved.”—Acts 6:7. 

Indeed, so exact are Daniel’s dates that some have thought 
that the rabbis changed the Old Testament chronology which 
puts the Birth of Christ about 4,000 years after the Creation, 
and that they put it only 3,760 years after Creation. By so 
doing the coming of the Messiah was placed 240 years before 
the actual Advent of our Lord. This, of course, was done to 
nullify the miraculously minute dates and descriptions found 
in the prophecies of Daniel and to mislead the unlearned— 
which it has done. 

Signs in Heaven Over Doomed Jerusalem 

Luke 21:11: “And great earthquakes shall be in divers 
places, and famines and pestilences; and fearful sights and 
great signs shall there be from heaven.” Josephus, the learned 
Jewish historian who died about 95 A. D., gives an account 
of those ominous sights and portents that appeared in the 
heavens just before the fall of Jerusalem. He says: “A 
false prophet was the occasion of these peoples’ destruction, 
who made a public proclamation in the city that very day, that 
'God commanded them to get up upon the temple, and that 
there they should receive miraculous signs for their deliver¬ 
ance.’ Now, there was a great number of false prophets 
suborned by the tyrants to impose on the people.” Josephus 
also describes the strange portents that were seen in the 
heavens. “Thus,” he says, “there was a star resembling a 
sword that stood over the city, and a comet, that continued a 
whole year. Thus also before the Jews’ rebellion and before 
those commotions that preceded the war, when the people 
were come in great crowds to the feast of unleavened bread, 
on the eighth day of the month Xanthicus (Nisan), and at 
the ninth hour of the night, so great a light shone round the 
altar and the holy house, that it appeared to be bright day 
time; which light lasted for half an hour. This light seemed 
to be a good sign to the unskillful, but was so interpreted 
by the sacred scribes as to portend those events that followed 


“When Shall These Things Be?” 


139 


immediately upon it” . . . “Moreover, the eastern gate 

of the inner [court of the temple] which was of brass, and 
vastly heavy, and had been with difficulty shut by twenty 
men, and rested upon a basis armed with iron, and had bolts 
fastened very deep in the firm floor, which was there made 
of one entire stone, was seen to be opened of its own accord 
about the sixth hour of the night. Now those that kept 
watch in the temple came hereupon running to the captain 
of the temple, and told him of it, who then came up thither, 
and not without great difficulty was able to shut the gate 
again. This also appeared to the vulgar to be a very happy 
prodigy, as if God did thereby open them the gate of happi¬ 
ness. But the men of learning understood it, that the secur¬ 
ity of their holy house was dissolved of its own accord, and 
that the gate was opened for the advantage of their enemies. 
So these publicly declared, that the signal foreshadowed the 
desolation that was coming upon them. Besides these, a few 
days after that feast, on the one and twentieth day of the 
month Artemisius [Jyar], a certain prodigious and incred¬ 
ible phenomenon appeared: I suppose the account of it 
would seem to be a fable were it not related by those that 
saw it, and were not the events that followed it of so consid¬ 
erable a nature as to deserve such signals; for before sunset¬ 
ting, chariots and troops of soldiers in their armour were seen 
running about among the clouds, and surrounding of cities. 
Moreover, at the feast, which we call Pentecost, as the 
priests were going by night into the inner [court of the] 
temple, as their custom was, to perform their sacred minis¬ 
trations, they said, that in the first place they felt a quaking, 
and heard a great noise, and after that they heard a sound 
as of a multitude, saying, ‘Let us remove hence.’ But what 
is still more terrible, there was one Jesus, the son of Ananus, 
a plebeian and a husbandman, who, four years before the 
war began, and at a time when the city was in very great 
peace and prosperity, came to the feast whereon it is our 
custom for everyone to make tabernacles to God in the 
temple, began on a sudden to cry aloud, ‘A voice from the 
east, a voice from the west, a voice from the four winds, a 
voice against Jerusalem and the holy house, a voice against 


140 


The World Program 


the bridegrooms and the brides, a voice against the whole 
people.’ This was his cry as he went about by day and by 
night, in all the lanes of the city.” He thus aroused great 
indignation against himself. They chastised him; but he 
neither murmured nor desisted. They reported him to the 
Roman rulers, and they whipped him “till his bones were 
laid bare; yet did he not make any supplication for himself, 
nor shed any tears; but turning his voice to the most lament¬ 
able tone possible, at every stroke of the whip his answer 
was, ‘Wo, Wo, to Jerusalem.’ And when Albinus ‘the procu¬ 
rator’ asked him ‘Who he was? and whence he came? and 
why he uttered such words?’ he made no manner of reply 
to what was said, but still did not leave off his melancholy 
ditty.” “He every day uttered these lamentable words. . . 
‘Wo, Wo, to Jerusalem’ ” . . “This cry of his was loudest 
at the festivals; and he continued this ditty for seven years 
and five months. . . until the very time that he saw his 

presage fulfilled in our siege, when it ceased; for as he was 
going round upon the wall, he cried out with his uttermost 
force, ‘Wo, wo to the city again, and to the people, and to 
the holy house,’ and just as he added at the last, ‘Wo, wo to 
myself, also,’ there came a stone out of one of the engines 
and smote him and killed him immediately.”—The Wars of 
the Jews by Josephus, Book VI, ch. V. 

Tacitus, the classic Roman historian, as well as Josephus, 
mentions the portent that— 

“Fierce, fiery warriors fought upon the clouds, 

In rank and squadron, and right form of war.” 

“And Tacitus tells us how the blind multitude of Jews inter¬ 
preted the signs in their own favor.”—The Cam. Bible for 
S. and C., on Luke 21:11. 

“So strong did the place seem to Titus that he exclaimed, 
‘We have certainly had God on our side in this war; and it 
was God alone who ejected the Jews from these fortifica¬ 
tions.’ ” “No words can describe the unequalled horrors of 
this siege. It was the Passover season, and Jews from all 
parts were crowded within the walls. Three factions were 
in desperate feud with each other. . . so that the temple 

courts swam with the blood of civil discord. . . The 


“When Shall These Things Be?” 141 

wretched inhabitants were reduced to the most loathsome of 
food, and to deeds of unspeakable cruelty. Jerusalem was 
taken on the 10th of August, A. D. 70. 1,100,000 Jews per¬ 
ished in the siege; 100,000 were sold into slavery. With the 
fall of Jerusalem Israel ceased as a nation. It was truly an 
end of an ceon.”—The Cam. Bible for S. and C. on Matt. 
24:22. 

Exhortations 

In Matt. 24:16-22, there are exhortations and sorrowful 
predictions. The Saviour warns them to leave the doomed 
city, pronounces a solemn woe, enjoins prayer, and predicts 
great tribulation. In Mark and Luke there are similar pas¬ 
sages. 

More Warnings About False Prophets 

Matt. 24:23-26: “Then if any man shall say unto you, 
Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe him not. For there shall 
arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great 
signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they 
shall deceive the very elect. Behold I have told you before. 
Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, He is in the 
desert; go not forth: behold, He is in the secret chambers; 
believe it not.” In Mark and Luke there are similar state¬ 
ments. False prophets and false teachers, at present, are 
among the most serious afflictions of the Church. From the 
beginning Satan has kept up his succession of impostors, and 
some of them can do wonderful things. The agnostic with 
his materialism tries to animalize human beings, the Unita¬ 
rian Jew would empty the Old Testament of its Messianic 
content, the destructive critic tries to rend the Holy Scrip¬ 
tures, the hypocritical preacher fleeces the flock of Christ— 
uses Christian money for destroying Christianity. Then 
Spiritualism, with its mysteries and demoniac deceptions, can 
work wonders. Moreover, Christian Science, which is a 
double misnomer and a fourfold absurdity in ignoring pain, 
matter, sin, and Satan, and which depends on the diabolism 
of Spiritualism for its miracles, and which propagates a Pan¬ 
theistic Atheism in denying the true Personality of the Liv¬ 
ing God, gives false comfort to the wicked rich on their prim¬ 
rose road to hell. 


142 


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Remember that the devil, on a small scale, can work even 
miracles. In this way many people are victimized, “and no 
marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of 
light.”—2 Cor. 11:14. 

THE SECOND QUESTION—WHEN WILL THE 

LORD RETURN ? 

Matt. 24:27: “For as the lightning cometh out of the 
east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming 
of the Son of Man be.” 

As the Saviour thus entered upon His answer to the 
second question, undoubtedly a disciple sorely perplexed by 
the very thought of the utter destruction of the Holy City, 
requests some fuller information or sign of the impending 
calamity. Then the Blessed Lord ever ready to answer an 
honest questioner, returns to the first question, and says: 
“For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be 
gathered together.”'—v. 28. That is, Jerusalem is like a 
doomed carcass, and the Roman eagles are coming to devour 
—sad news for a patriotic Jew. His wicked nation was fit¬ 
tingly compared to a dead body. Spiritual life had died out 
of the nation which was therefore fit only to be the prey of 
Roman eagles. When Titus came, no doubt, those that heard 
these statements would recognize the eagles on the Roman 
standards. With what inimitable tenderness and sympathy 
does the Master reveal the sad truth to the sorrowing dis¬ 
ciples ; for He Himself, only a few days before, had wept and 
lamented over the doomed city. 

Having thoughtfully answered this questioner, the 
Saviour resumes consideration of the second question con¬ 
cerning His Second Advent. On a former occasion as re¬ 
corded by Luke 17:24, the Master referred to this great event 
as follows: “For as the lightning that shineth out of one 
part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; 
so shall also the Son of man be in His day.” That is, in 
“the Day of the Lord,” which is the last day, and which is 
the Day of His Coming. 

When our Lord was before Caiaphas, and was asked: 
“Tell us whether Thou be the Christ, the Son of God,” Jesus 
answered: “Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on 


When Will the Lord Return? 143 

the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” 
—Matt. 26:63, 64. As He ascended in the clouds, so will 
He return amid the clouds. 

Let us resume Christ’s conversation. Turn to Matt. 24: 
29-31: “Immediately [this word refers back to verse 27] 
after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, 
and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall 
fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be 
shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man 
in Heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, 
and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of 
heaven with power and great glory. And He shall send 
His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall 
gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end 
of heaven to the other.” 

Mark 13:24: “But in those days, after that tribulation, 
the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her 
light. And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that 
are in heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see 
the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and 
glory. And then shall He send His angels, and shall gather 
together His elect from the four winds, from the uttermost 
part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.” 

Luke 21 :25-27: “And there shall be signs in the sun, and 
in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of 
nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 
men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after 
those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers 
of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son 
of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” 

In these three evangelists we have the Saviour’s own 
statements concerning His World Program. At His return, 
they agree: 

That there will be the consummation of all things. 

That there will be vast commotions among the heavenly 
bodies. 

That our whole planetary system of the universe will be 
shaken. 


144 


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That the sun and moon will veil their faces, and that the 
stars will fall prostrate in the Presence of their Almighty 
Creator. 

Also we are informed: 

That the Son of man will appear amidst clouds of glory 
and manifestations of infinite power. Heaven and earth and, 
no doubt, even hell will be awed into solemn reverence at 
this appearance of the glorified Redeemer of men. 

That according to St. Matthew and St. Mark, our Blessed 
Lord will send His angels from His place in the air—in the 
lower heavens—to gather the righteous, after having received 
their glorified bodies, from among the wicked, and to bring 
them up into the upper air into His glorious Presence. 

That according to St. Matthew and St. Luke there will 
be mourning and perplexity and “distress of nations.” “For 
the day of His wrath is come and who shall be able to stand?” 
—Rev. 6:17. 

This glorious Apocalypse, unveiling the mysteries of the 
future, tells us plainly that there will be a Second Advent. 
In His farewell sermon the Saviour comforting His dis¬ 
ciples, sad at thoughts of His departure, plainly said to them: 
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe 
also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions; if 
it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a 
place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I 
will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I 
am, there ye may be also.”—Jno. 14:1-3. This is a clear 
confirmation of what is affirmed in the Apocalypse, and 
should silence those mystics who imagine that the Parousia of 
Christ is a past event. 

The appearing of Christ will occur immediately after the 
“little season” of apostasy which will follow the millennium, 
when Satan is loosed out of his thousand-year imprison- 
ment. This is clearly stated in Rev. 20:1-3, 7, 8, where we 
are told that an angel, not Christ, will come and bind Satan, 
and cast him into the bottomless pit, and keep him there for 
one thousand years. In verse 7, it is stated that, “when the 
thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his 
prison.” Then in verse 8, we are informed that he will as- 


When Will the Lord Return? 


145 


semble the evil forces of Gog and Magog to make war on 
the saints. This is the “little season” of apostasy when the 
world will wax worse and worse. Then will burst forth the 
glorious Parousia —the glorious Presence—the appearing of 
the Son of Man, who will destroy these evil forces. “And 
fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.” 
—Rev. 20:9. 

The Saviour will not actually come again to this earth. 
There has been a much-mistaken idea of the following pas¬ 
sage in Zech. 14:4: “And His feet shall stand in that day on 
the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east.” 
The prophet here refers probably to our Lord’s Ascension 
from the Mount of Olives. Indeed, often during His min¬ 
istry did He stand upon Olivet. It is surely a far-fetched 
notion which would ignore these facts and try to make this 
passage refer to our Lord’s Second Advent. But our dear 
Premillennial brethren are constantly forgetting this fact that 
the prophets, ending with John the Baptist, were heralds of 
the first corning of the Messiah as the Redeemer of mankind. 
Indeed, in the mind of the prophets, the first Coming of the 
Redeemer was the all-important event. 

The fair inference from Matt. 24:30-31: “And there 
shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven . . . . 
And He shall send His angels . . . and they shall gather 
together His elect”—the fair inference from these statements 
is that the Lord will not descend to the earth. This idea is 
confirmed by the apostle Paul, who says in I Thes. 4:16, 17: 
“For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a 
shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trump of 
God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first [that is before the 
living are changed; but both events take place at His second 
Coming] : Then we which are alive and remain shall be 
caught up together with them in the clouds , to meet the Lord 
in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” Re¬ 
member, we shall “be caught up” “to meet the Lord in the 
air.” He does not descend to us. 

On this most glorious occasion, in the numberless hosts 
following in Christ’s train, will be the spirits of the sainted 
dead, returning to earth to receive their glorified bodies. 


146 


The World Program 


Also with the Church triumphant will be millions upon mil¬ 
lions of the heavenly hierarchies. Seraphim and cherubim, 
angels and archangels, the celestial choirs and myriad hosts of 
the Great King Eternal will be there. 

The One General Resurrection 

Now will occur the general resurrection of all the dead. 
Paul describes this momentous event: “In a moment, in 
the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet 
shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we 
shall be changed.”—I Cor. 15:52. Then all the dead, good 
and bad, will receive their immortal bodies, the dead in Christ 
being glorified before the living righteous are glorified. 

It does appear that at this time the holy angels will do 
their work of gathering together the elect of God. From 
plains and mountains, from rivers and seas, from every nook 
and corner of the globe, from lofty summits and ocean 
depths, from east and west, from north and south, “from 
the uttermost part of earth to the uttermost part of heaven,” 
the angels will collect the righteous out of the teeming mil¬ 
lions of all nations, peoples, kindreds and tongues of earth. 
In all these countless multitudes not one child of God will 
be forgotten. These celestial reapers will make no mistakes. 

Then the General Judgment Immediately Follows the 
Resurrection. 

It appears from Matt. 25:31-46, which is also contained 
in this wonderful Apocalypse, that the General Judgment 
now takes place; for the Saviour says in verses 31 and 
32: “When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and 
all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the 
throne of His glory. And before Him shall be gathered 
all nations; and He shall separate them one from another, 
as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.” Also in 
verse 46, it is said: “And these shall go away into everlast¬ 
ing punishment; but the righteous into life eternal.” This 
is the final and eternal separation. May the Judge Supreme 
have mercy on us all, for the sake of our Blessed Lord and 
Saviour! 


When Will End of the World Come? 


147 


The Angels having gathered out of the earth every child 
of. God, and having taken these countless millions of re¬ 
deemed up into the air to meet their glorified Saviour, then 
the heavenly hosts and celestial choirs with “the glorious 
company of the apostles,” “the goodly fellowship of the 
prophets,” and “the noble army of martyrs”—then these 
countless myriads of angels and saints will be led by the 
Lord God of Hosts into the New Jerusalem, the holy city 
of the Great King. 

“Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lifted up, ye 
everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who 
is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the 
Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even 
lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory 
shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of 
hosts, He is the King of glory.”—Ps. 24:7-10. 

THE THIRD QUESTION—WHEN WILL THE END 

OF THE WORLD COME? 

The Lord mentions the End several times in this Apoca¬ 
lypse. 

Matt. 24:6: “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours 
of wars; see that ye be not troubled; for all these things must 
come to pass, but the end is not yet.” Again in verses 13 and 
14, it is stated: “But he that shall endure unto the end, the 
same shall be saved. And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall 
be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; 
and then shall the end come.” 

Mark 13:7: “And when ye shall hear of wars and 
rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must 
needs be; but the end shall not be yet.” 

Luke 21:9: “But when ye shall hear of wars and com¬ 
motions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to 
pass; but the end is not by and by.” This last clause is better 
in the Revised Version: “But the end is not immediately.” 

It is worthy of note that in all these references to the 
end, there are implied warnings against hasty expectations 
and premature predictions of the end. The passage that 


148 


The World Program 


gives the most definite information on the subject, is in Matt. 
24:14: “And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached 
in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall 
the end come.” That means that there must be world-wide 
Gospel preaching—world-wide diffusion of Christianity—and 
that means the Millennium. Consequently, the universal 
reign of righteousness will precede the Advent and the 
end; for they are contemporaneous, as we have already seen. 

The Saviour here informs us that His return is not at 
hand. In this Apocalypse the disciples are instructed that 
before the end comes there must be world-wide evangelism 
through the preaching of the Gospel, and universal testimony 
for Jesus. That really means a converted world, and that 
certainly means that the Millennium comes before the Ad¬ 
vent. 

This blessed work of carrying the Gospel to the ends of 
the earth is being done today as never before, by many mis¬ 
sionary societies. In passing, let us mention the three great 
Bible Societies—The British and Foreign, the American and 
the Scottish. The Bible in whole or in part is now being 
published “in 770 languages or dialects.” Also it can be said 
that in nearly every large city of the globe, a Christian min¬ 
ister or missionary may be found. This vast evangelistic cam¬ 
paign is bearing witness that the Kingdom of God has come, 
and that the Gospel leaven is permeating the great masses 
of mankind. This evangelism is not done to provide a wit¬ 
ness against poor sinning mortals. “For God sent not His 
Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world 
through Him might be saved.”—Jno. 3:17. Listen to the 
following words of assurance in Is. 55:11: “So shall my 
word be that goeth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto 
me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it 
shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” God has sent 
His Word for the enlightenment of the world, His Son for 
the redemption of the world, and His Spirit for the regenera¬ 
tion of the world; and these glorious agencies will accomplish 
their mission, and will give the world a thousand-year reign 
of the Saviour in the heart of humanity—a spiritual reign 
of peace. 


When Will End of the World Come? 149 

Again the Master Refers to Jerusalem. (Probably a 

Question was Asked.) 

Matt. 24:32-34: “Now learn a parable of the fig tree 
. . . so likewise when ye shall see all these things, know 

that it is nigh, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, 
this generation shall not pass, till all these things be ful¬ 
filled.” 

Mark 13:28-31: “Now learn a parable of the fig tree 
. . . So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things 

come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. Verily 
I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all 
these things be done.” “All these things” refer to Jerusalem. 

Luke 21:28-33: “And when these things begin to come 
to pass, then look up and lift up your heads; for your re¬ 
demption draweth nigh. And He spake to them a parable; 
Behold the fig tree ... So likewise ye, when ye see these 
things come to pass, know ye that the Kingdom of God is 
nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall 
not pass away, till all be fulfilled.” 

In this quotation from Luke, the very word “redemption” 
takes us back to Jerusalem—the first question—and to the 
overthrow of the Levitical law with its types and shadows, 
and to the world Atonement, that was soon made on Cal¬ 
vary. Also, the Saviour here informs His disciples “that the 
Kingdom of God is nigh at hand.” This prediction was most 
gloriously fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy 
Spirit descended upon the waiting disciples. Consequently, 
the Saviour encourages the apostles, saying, “Look up and 
lift up your heads ; for your redemption draweth nigh.” This 
was said because the overthrow of both political and ecclesias¬ 
tical Judaism would be a great aid to the infant Church. 
Indeed, the destruction of the Mosaic Dispensation pre¬ 
pared the way for the establishment of our Holy Christian¬ 
ity. On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit anointed the 
disciples for world conquest. They did “look up” and their 
heads were lifted up; for the Kingdom of God was estab¬ 
lished in their souls as a pledge that it would finally be es¬ 
tablished in the heart of humanity. 


150 


The World Program 


There Were Probably Further Interruptions 

In answer the Saviour makes the following reply or re¬ 
plies: Matt. 24:34: “Verily I say unto you, This genera¬ 
tion shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” Also 
Mark and Luke make the same statement. In this Apoca¬ 
lypse the phrases, “these things” and “all these things,” are 
found several times, and they always refer to the city and 
temple. 

Remember that the disciples were most anxious about 
the fate of the holy city, and that these words were spoken 
nearly two thousand years ago, and that they could refer only 
to the people who heard them . How absurd, therefore, for 
an Adventist to tell a congregation, on the strength of this 
passage, that they will live to see the Second Coming. Be¬ 
sides being an absurdity, it is a blunder; for the passages do 
not refer to our Saviour’s Return, but to the destruction of 
the Holy City. In that case the statements are quite reason¬ 
able ; for this conversation took place in 33 A. D., and the fall 
of the city in 70 A. D.; that is thirty-seven years afterward, 
and no doubt, therefore, many of His hearers did live to see 
the Romans enter the holy place. 

No Man Knoweth the Time of Christ’s Coming 

Matt. 24:36-39: “But of that day and hour knoweth no 
man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only . . . 
But as in the days of Noe. . . [they] knew not until the 
flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming 
of the Son of man be.” 

Mark 13:32: “But of that day and that hour knoweth 
no man, no not the angels which are in Heaven, neither the 
Son but the Father.” 

Luke 21:34, 35: “And take heed to yourselves, lest 
. . . that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare 

shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole 
earth.” 

How many hasty Premillennialists have utterly disre¬ 
garded these repeated injunctions, and have presumptuously 
predicted the day and even the hour of the Second Coming! 


When Will End of the World Come? 151 
The Final Separation 

Matt. 24:40, 41: “There shall be two in the field; the 
one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be 
grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other 
left.” The angels who will descend from the glorious Pres¬ 
ence of their Lord in the lower heaven, will select the right¬ 
eous, one man in the field and one woman at the mill and 
separate them from the wicked, and take them up to meet 
their Lord “in the air.” When the angels thus take up 
the righteous to meet their Lord in the air, the unrighteous 
will be left to their awful fate, in a burning world with the 
demons of perdition. Unutterable calamity! Some have 
thought that this earth would be given over to the powers 
of evil as their hell. “O God, the Holy Ghost, proceeding 
from the Father and the Son; have mercy upon us mis¬ 
erable sinners!” 

Exhortations 

Matt. 24:42-51: “Watch therefore; for ye know not 
what hour your Lord doth come.” The Lord of the evil 
servant “shall come in a day when he looketh not for Him, 
and in an hour that he is not aware of. And shall cut him 
asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: 
there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Mark 13 :33- 
37: “Take heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when 
the time is. . . And what I say unto you I say unto all, 
Watch.” Luke 21:34-36: “And take heed to yourselves. 
. . . Watch ye therefore and pray always.” In the 

twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew these good counsels are 
emphasized by the parables of the Ten Virgins and the 
Talents. 

The General Judgment 

This wonderful Apocalypse, this World Program of our 
Blessed Lord, closes with the Universal Judgment Scene as 
recorded in St. Matthew 25 :31-46: “When the Son of man 
shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, 
then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory: And before 
Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate 
them one from another, as a shepherd divideth the sheep 


152 


The World Program 


from the goats. And he shall set the sheep on His right 
hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto 
them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, in¬ 
herit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of 
the world: For I was a hungered, and ye gave me meat 

. . . Then shall He say also unto them on His left 

hand, Depart from me ye cursed, into everlasting fire pre¬ 
pared for the devil and his angels. For I was a hungered 
and ye gave me no meat . . . And these shall go away 

into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eter¬ 
nal.” 


Conclusion 

This Apocalypse unfolds the roll which contains Heaven’s 
Program for this which is the last Dispensation. This was 
the opinion of the apostle John who said: “Little children 
it is the last time. . . . Even now are there many anti¬ 

christs; whereby we know that it is the last time.”—I Jno. 
2:18. In this conversation, the conversion of both Jews and 
Gentiles—which means the millennium—is put before the 
end. All through this glorious Apocalypse it is shown that 
our Blessed Lord comes at the end of all things. Conse¬ 
quently, by the binding of Satan as predicted in Rev. 20:1-3 
and by the gracious ministries of the Holy Spirit in the 
faithful preaching of our Holy Christianity, the world will be 
converted. The everlasting Gospel of our Blessed Lord will 
never be displaced or superseded. It, and it alone, will ac¬ 
complish the regeneration of mankind—will bless the human 
race with its seventh-thousand-year jubilee period of Sabbath 
rest and rejoicing in the loving benedictions of the covenant¬ 
keeping Jehovah—and for one thousand years the world 
will be at peace. 

Then, at last, will be fulfilled the apostle’s prediction: 
“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; 
in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and 
the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and 
the works therein shall be burned up.”—2 Peter 3:10. The 
day of the Lord is the Day of His Coming, and this sin- 
cursed world will be set on fire and may become the perdition 


When Will End of the World Come? 153 

of the lost. Surely the conflagration of a world would be 
no place for Eden Gardens, rejoicing saints, and the glorious 
Parousia —the Presence of the Prince of Peace, the Lover of 
mankind. 

Listen to the inspired and inspiring address of Isaiah to 
the Church: “Arise, shine, for thy Light [He that is the 
light of the world] is come, and the glory of the Lord has 
risen upon thee.”—Is. 60:1. 

Listen to the Blessed Lord Himself as He announces the 
final victory of His World Program: “Upon this Rock [Him¬ 
self] I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not 
prevail against it.”—Matt. 16:18. Christianity, as a world 
regenerating Power, will not fail; but will purify, enlighten 
and sanctify our ransomed race. 

Unto the Holy Trinity, now, henceforth, and in the World 
without end, be ascribed worship, adoration and thanksgiv¬ 
ing, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen. 





PART V 


FOREWORD 

The twentieth chapter of Revelation may be called the 
Chronological chapter of the Bible, for it gives in their order 
the closing events of human history. Praying for divine 
illumination, we would most reverently approach the study 
of this portion of Holy Writ. 









AN EXPLANATION OF THE TWENTIETH 
CHAPTER OF REVELATION 

The ancient Jew, pious and intelligent, read Daniel and 
understood the signs of his times. He readily recognized the 
Medo-Persian Cyrus, because the Lord by Isaiah (44:28 and 
45:1) had mentioned him by name about one hundred and 
fifty years before he was born. He knew the warlike Mace¬ 
donian and the mighty Roman, for Daniel had described 
them. Also the Lord, desiring His people of this dispensa¬ 
tion to be well informed in reference to world movements, 
has given us wonderful predictions in this Book of Revela¬ 
tion, which foretells the trials and triumphs of His King¬ 
dom, and describes the hostile and helpful agencies that shall 
characterize the Christian Era. Its sixth chapter mentions 
the four great forces that shall dominate human affairs; the 
ninth chapter foretells the Mohammedan-Turk or Unitarian 
heresy; the tenth chapter may be called the Bible chapter; 
in the latter part of the book come the appalling descriptions 
of the great apostasy of the Dark Ages and then in this 
twentieth chapter the Lord reveals the order in time of the 
final important events of human history. This twentieth 
chapter will engage our attention for the present. To encour¬ 
age the study of this book a special promise is given in 
Rev. 1:3 : “Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the 
words of this prophecy and keep those things that are writ¬ 
ten therein, for the time is at hand.” 

TWENTIETH CHAPTER OF REVELATION 

1. And I saw an angel come down from Heaven, having the 
key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 

2. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is 
the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years. 

3. And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, 
and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, 
till the thousand years should be fulfilled; and after that he must 
be loosed a little season. 


158 


The World Program 


4. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment 
was given unto them; and I saw the souls of them that were be¬ 
headed for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and 
which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had 
received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they 
lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 

5. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand 
years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 

6. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrec¬ 
tion ; on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be 
priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand 
years. 

7. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be 
loosed out of his prison. 

8. And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the 
four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together 
to battle; the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 

9. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed 
the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came 
down from God out of Heaven, and devoured them. 

10. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of 
fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and 
shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 

11. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, 
from whose face the earth and heaven fled away; and there was 
found no place for them. 

12. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; 
and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which 
is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things 
which were written in the books, according to their works. 

13. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death 
and hell delivered up the dead which were in them; and they were 
judged every man according to their works. 

14. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This 
is the second death. 

15. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life 
was cast into the lake of fire. 

An Angel—not Christ—Appears 

We are not told the name of this angel. It may be 
Michael, who helped Daniel, who was called a chief prince 
of Israel and who is mentioned by Jude, verse 9, as the 
archangel that disputed with Satan about the body of Moses. 
Also, in Rev. 12:7-8, this mention is made of him: “And 
there was war in Heaven. Michael and his angels fought 
against the dragon and the dragon fought and his angels and 


Twentieth Chapter of Revelation Explained 159 

prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in 
Heaven/’ This same Michael, who appears to be the captain 
of the hosts of Heaven, may be sent to remove Satan. 

Now notice, in this revelation of the divine order of the 
last great events in our history, that it is an angel who comes 
with authority and power to deal with the devil. Our Lord 
does not return to inaugurate the thousand year period of 
exemption from demoniacal influences. This is a most sig¬ 
nificant fact and goes far to prove the falsity of premillennial 
teaching. Remember, then, it is an angel and not Christ that 
removes the greatest hindrance to the universal spread of 
Christianity. 

This fact further indicates that the thousand-year era is 
no new dispensation, but simply the full fruition of the 
Gospel. At present we are in the dispensation of the Holy 
Spirit, which was founded on the Day of Pentecost and which 
will continue till the end of time. Concerning it the Saviour 
promised, “Upon this Rock I build my Church and the gates 
of hell shall not prevail against it.”—Matt. 16:18. The com¬ 
ing of this angel marks complete deliverance from this arch¬ 
enemy of God and man and the giving of right of way to 
the blessed operations of the Holy Spirit, in this the final 
and most glorious of all the dispensations. Again, notice 
that though the millennium is ushered in, there is no second 
advent. 

The Arrest and Incarceration of the Devil 

The great deceiver tempted our mother Eve to eat the 
forbidden fruit, tempted Moses to get angry at the waters 
of Meribah, tempted David to number God’s people, tempted 
Peter to deny his master and tempted Judas Iscariot to betray 
with a kiss. How persistently and powerfully Satan tempted 
our blessed Lord, Himself! The apostle Peter warns us: 
“Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a 
roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour, 
whom resist steadfast in the faith.”—1 Pet. 5: 8-9. Hear 
Paul’s alarming caution, “For we wrestle not against flesh 
and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against 
the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual 


160 


The World Program 


wickedness in high places.”—Eph. 13:27. Today Christians 
must fight against the world with its allurements, the flesh 
with its lusts, and the devil with his wiles. But we give 
thanks: “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, 
that He might destroy the works of the devil.”—John 3 :8. 

For nearly 6,000 years Satan has been doing his utmost 
to pervert and to destroy mankind, especially to hinder and 
nullify the work of grace in the soul. But the Lord has 
promised to deliver his people from the baneful and hateful 
influences of the wicked one, that His church may have a 
Sabbath period of rest and joy in the Lord for a thousand 
years, during which time peace and plenty, truth and right¬ 
eousness will generally prevail. 

To secure this happy time, an angel will be commissioned 
to bind and imprison our dreaded enemy. During the past 
unutterable grief and anguish have been the portion of 
mortals. Such benighting and malign influences have so en¬ 
slaved nations that they have actually committed mental 
whoredom with heathen gods and have “sacrificed unto 
devils, not unto God.”—Deut. 32:17. The Psalmist said: 
“Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto 
devils.”—Ps. 106:37. 

Well may the church pray for the Lord to send His 
angel. Just remove the powerful and efficient diabolical 
causes of wickedness and wretchedness and continue the 
gracious ministrations of the Holy Spirit, and at once the 
whole world will rejoice in numberless blessings both tem¬ 
poral and spiritual. Banish the prince of darkness with his 
lying legions, and murderous, treacherous and hypocritical 
tyrants will not be able to oppress in both church and state— 
will not be able to deluge whole continents in blood. For 
hellish war is the work of demon-dominated potentates and 
pontiffs. When the evil spirit entered Saul, jealousy, hatred 
and murder ruled his heart. Anciently Pharaohs and Caesars 
were often under evil powers. More recently Borgias and 
Kaisers have been Satan incarnate for the overthrow of 
liberty and the establishment of imperialism and idolatry in 
the whole earth. But in due time Satan will be sent to his 
own place and his fallen angels with him. This idea Mr. 


Twentieth Chapter of Revelation Explained 161 

Wesley has expressed in his note on Verse 2, where he says, 
“With whom undoubtedly his angels were cast into the bot¬ 
tomless pit as well as finally into everlasting fire.” The 
Almighty reigns “and all the inhabitants of the earth are re¬ 
puted as nothing and he doeth according to His will in the 
army of Heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth 
and none can stay His hand or say unto Him, What doest 
Thou ?”—Dan. 4 :35. 

The Thousand-Year Period 

It has been thought by some very well informed persons 
that the whole period of human history would be 7,000 years. 
Ancient history gives us the trial of world kingdoms; during 
which time man had ample opportunities, if possible, for es¬ 
tablishing permanent and normal world monarchies. Mighty 
Nebuchadnezzar, noble Cyrus, great Alexander and the 
Caesars ruled world kingdoms; but all of them ended in 
calamitous failures. Their vast dominions rotted to the 
ground from inherent corruption. They perished from the 
face of the earth as lamentable disasters and now darken the 
pages of history as national degenerates. 

Universal Triumph 

Daniel, however, predicted that at the time of the fourth 
kingdom, the God of Heaven would set up a Kingdom that 
should never end. Accordingly, Christ, who was born in 
the reign of Caesar Augustus, brought with Him a Kingdom 
which is “not of this world,” which is set up in the human 
soul and which is called the “Kingdom of God,” the “King¬ 
dom of Heaven,” the “Kingdom of righteousness and peace 
and joy in the Holy Ghost.”—Rom. 14:17. Earthly mon¬ 
archies were tried for 4,000 years and they all miserably per¬ 
ished in their own wickedness, but Christ’s Kingdom which 
is the “Church Militant” and which already has been in ex¬ 
istence for nearly 2,000 years, is giving unmistakable indica¬ 
tions of ultimate and universal triumph. Our Holy Chris¬ 
tianity is rising into ever increasing influence and significance 
before the astonished gaze of all peoples. According to John 
the revelator, the time is coming when “great voices in 


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Heaven” will be heard proclaiming: “The kingdoms of this 
world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of His 
Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever.”—Rev. 11 :15. 

Satan understood all this well, and if the Kaiser and the 
Pontiff had read their Bibles sincerely and intelligently, they 
too would have seen that the Advent of the “King of the 
Jews” marked the end of all human world-wide empires. 
But the “old serpent” filled them with hellish lust of mundane 
dominion and they vainly and madly endeavored to enslave 
all kindreds of the earth. 

The Golden Age of Rest 

But when Satan is bound, there will come the Golden Age 
of Rest from the plottings and persecutions of the minions 
of perdition. In the Millennium, which we believe will be 
the seventh thousand-year period of our history and the long, 
sweet Sabbath of rest after the conflicts and conquests of the 
previous 6,000 years, there will be seen everywhere the fruits 
of the Spirit and abounding Gospel grace. Our Sabbath days 
are too much like week days, with these exceptions, that on 
the Lord’s Day, we are more or less free from the battle 
of life and are at liberty to enjoy the quiet of home and in¬ 
spiring worship in the Sanctuary. But during the Millen¬ 
nium, while many things will go on about as they do now, 
yet we shall enjoy deliverance from certain evils which at 
present sorely afflict our sin-cursed world. Then all the tem¬ 
poral and spiritual blessings of a most highly developed 
Christian civilization, will be our inheritance. Banish the 
forces of evil from our world and it will blossom as the rose 
and flourish as the garden of the Lord. Then the resources 
of nature, under the skill of real scientists, will be utilized for 
the enjoyment of the race in material and mental, in moral 
and spiritual advancement. The air, the land and the water 
will all contribute to the grand total of human happiness. 
The children will enjoy life to the fullest, being brought “up 
in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Put sacred 
song, Bible reading and prayer into all places of learning, 
then “wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy 
times and strength of salvation.”—Is. 33 :6. With infernal 


Twentieth Chapter of Revelation Explained 163 

agencies removed and with divine influences bestowed in 
plentitude, this world will be a “Paradise Restored,” and 
Eden gardens will cover the continents and islands of the 
sea. The world will be a “Garden of the Lord,” the vesti¬ 
bule of Heaven. 

Albert Barnes, the able commentator, in his Notes on this 
chapter, speaking of the millennium, makes such observa¬ 
tions as these: 

“There will be a great increase in the population of the 
globe,” “a general diffusion of intelligence on the earth,” “the 
universal diffusion of revealed truth,” “unlimited subjection 
to the scepter of Christ,” “great progress in all that tends to 
promote the welfare of man,” “the universal reign of peace,” 
“general prevalence of evangelical religion,” “the Hebrew 
people—the Jews will be brought to the knowledge of the 
truth, and will embrace the Messiah whom their fathers cru¬ 
cified.”—Barnes’ Notes on Revelation, p. 462. He further 
says in his Notes: “Yet we are not necessarily to suppose 
that all the world will be absolutely and entirely brought 
under the power of the Gospel. There will be still on earth 
the remains of wickedness in the corrupted human heart, and 
there will be so much tendency to sin in the human soul, that 
Satan, when released for a time, will be able once more to 
deceive mankind and to array a formidable force, represented 
by Gog and Magog against the cause of truth and righteous¬ 
ness.”—Ibid., p. 463. 


No Failure 

In the meantime, let the Church give herself to prayer 
that the angel may cast out the “dragon” who has so long and 
so successfully tormented poor fallen humanity. But the 
dawn of a better day is coming. Neither Christ nor the 
Holy Spirit, neither the “Word of the Lord” nor the Church 
of God can possibly fail. No! Never! 

Our glorious Christianity, protected from the “old ser¬ 
pent” is destined for universal supremacy and will most as¬ 
suredly win the world for its Redeemer. Yea, only have 
faith in the all-atoning, most precious blood of the Lamb of 
God, in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, and in 


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the supernatural Book , the Holy Scriptures. The mission¬ 
aries have done well in taking for their motto: “The world 
for Christ in this generation.” 

THE LITTLE SEASON 

To properly locate this Little Season, is really the crucial 
question in trying to arrange in their proper order, the great 
eschatological events of human history. Some erroneously 
assert that the Little Season comes before the Millennium, 
before the thousand-year period of Gospel triumph; that we 
are now in the Little Season of Apostasy; that the world is 
getting worse and worse; and that the Second Advent of 
the Saviour is near at hand. Bengel, speaking of the order 
of events as given in this chapter, affirms: “They succeed 
one another in such a manner that none of them can be 
joined with another, the order of none can be transposed. 
He must deny the perspicuity of Scripture altogether, who 
persists in denying this and endeavoring to reject it ” Again 
he asserts: “We must adhere closely to the order of the 
prophecy ” —Bengel’s Gnomon on Rev., chapter 20. (The 
italics are the author’s.) 

But what say the Scriptures? It is expressly stated in 
verse 3 that the dragon would be shut up in his prison “till 
the thousand years should be fulfilled; and after that he 
must be loosed a little season.” Language could hardly be 
more explicit and emphatic. This statement gives a definite 
answer. But in addition to the foregoing answer, which is a, 
“Thus saith the Lord,” our gracious Saviour, who loves His 
people and does not wish them to err from the truth, not only 
gives the definite answer found in verse 3, which ought to be 
sufficient, but knowing our fallibility and the importance of 
properly placing the Little Season of Apostasy, repeats Him¬ 
self in verses 7 and 8, where He again states: “And when 
the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of 
his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations, which are 
in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather 
them together to battle.” Thus the Wise Teacher repeats 
important matters lest we should overlook them. Remember, 
then, that our Lord, Himself, has finally and emphatically 


Twentieth Chapter of Revelation Explained 165 

settled the place in time of the Little Season. He has told 
us twice, and in unmistakable terms, that it follows the 
Millenium. Consequently, we are not in the Little Season; 
for it must be centuries in the future. 

Is the World Growing Worse? 

Moreover, we must deny the assertion that the world is 
getting worse and worse. My experience as a minister of 
the Gospel for more than half a century gives me certain 
knowledge of many improvements which have taken place 
recently in every domain of human life. Science is doing 
wonders for all the material elements of our civilization. All 
agree that the material and mental advancements have been 
marvelous. But look at the moral and spiritual upward 
movements. Temperance reforms are now forcing the con¬ 
tinent of North America into the ranks of Prohibition. Then, 
wonderful to relate! England, France and Russia are enact¬ 
ing far reaching liquor restrictions. Also, just consider for a 
moment the stupendous strides the nations are making to¬ 
wards Democracy. Populous China and vast Russia have 
just been born again into the larger and freer life of Repub¬ 
licanism. “This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in 
our eyes.”—Ps. 118:23. Also, the imperialisms of Germany 
and Austria have passed away to the joy of emancipated mil¬ 
lions, while the triple tiara of the hugest humbug of the cen¬ 
turies is leaning far worse than the tower of Pisa. 

“Uneasy Lies the Head that Wears a Crown” 

There is an avowed determination on the part of the 
Allies to foster those forms of government that so correlate 
liberty and law as to give all peoples the highest forms of 
national life. Truly, this European outrage upon the race 
was diabolical both in purpose and execution; but in the end 
it will elevate the people and bring down the tyrants both lay 
and clerical. And most wonderful of all! Is there not a 
determination on the part of nearly all nations, that this 
Satan-Kaiser-Pontiff started carnage must result in putting 
an end to wars on this planet ? Humanity is demanding the 
formation of an August Tribunal of world-wide authority 


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and power for the peaceful and final settlement of all inter¬ 
national disputes. Another great blessing will come out of 
the fiendish conflict. The Lord is now purging this wicked 
world to deliver it from the insanity of Agnosticism. Men 
will learn to avoid “profane and vain oppositions of science 
falsely, so-called” and will no longer blindly follow the igno¬ 
rant infidel detractors of the Inspired Volume, but will re¬ 
nounce and denounce all similar, infamous “doctrines of 
devils.” 


Ultimate Success of Christianity 

Our Heavenly Father has said to the Son: “Ask of me, 
and I will give Thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and 
the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.”—Ps. 
2:8. The Saviour has asked, and is receiving, and will receive 
the fulfillment of all such promises. In India people are 
flocking to the churches by thousands for baptism. In China, 
through Missionary influence, the torturing bandages have 
been taken off the feet of millions of weeping women and 
girls. This is one of the most blessed results of Christianity 
ever furnished by the history of the Church. Also the Dark 
Continent is being opened, from Cairo south to the Cape of 
Good Hope; and soon the sons and daughters of Ham in the 
high tablelands of Central Africa where mountains rise, and 
rivers flow, and lakes abound, and where the soil is rich and 
the climate salubrious—there will they sing in the Spirit and 
“with the understanding” the “Messiah,” the “Hallelujah 
Chorus,” and the sweet melodies of Zion. 

Yes, “Our God is marching on.” Of course there are the 
timid saints that fear the tall sons of Anak, but the faith of 
the great heart of the Church in the ultimate success of 
Christianity is getting stronger. The brave Joshuas and the 
faithful Calebs are still encouraging the people to take this 
world for God. Hear their hopeful exhortation: “Let us 
go up at once and possess it; for we are well able to over¬ 
come it.”—Num. 13:30. Today the murmurers and the 
waverers are the weakness of the Church. With a heart brave 
and loyal to Christ, let each Christian put on the whole 


Twentieth Chapter of Revelation Explained 167 

armor, and, as Bunyan would say, “Lay well about him,” 
against the giant sins and sinners that are hindering the 
Kingdom. 

Second Advent not Near 

It is quite unreasonable to imagine that the Second Ad¬ 
vent is near at hand. My sainted father in his ministry was 
troubled with the false predictions of Adventism. These 
ill-informed and presumptuous prophets have annoyed the 
flock of Christ with their false alarms. At every great move¬ 
ment in world affairs, there springs up the usual crop of 
pseudo-prophets, most of whom are just pretenders to knowl¬ 
edge of future events. Recently, when the whole world was 
shaken by stupendous convulsions and millions of men were 
in deadly strife, there was a liberal supply of deluded people 
announcing the speedy return of Christ to the earth. Espe¬ 
cially now heed the Saviour’s oft-repeated warnings against 
these foolish alarmists. Even in the early part of His min¬ 
istry Christ utters warnings: “Beware of false prophets.”— 
Matt. 7:5. See other passages, such as Matt. 24:4, 5, 11, 24, 
and Mark 13 :32. In ancient Israel Satan had his succession 
of false prophets who were constantly imposing upon the 
credulity of the people. Under present circumstances it is 
highly expedient for Christians to be careful about organiza¬ 
tions that send out ill-advised persons to publish hasty and 
untruthful messages about the failure of Christianity, the 
speedy Coming of Christ, the world getting worse, and a 
visionary Jerusalem vagary that is neither sensible nor scrip¬ 
tural. This questionable propaganda makes large preten¬ 
sions to a full understanding of Daniel and Revelation.. 

Now, since the fruits of Premillennialism are pessimis¬ 
tic and sour, and since this doctrine in the past has invari¬ 
ably produced false prophets, it is most certainly highly ex¬ 
pedient to receive its teachings with great caution. 

The Thrones and the Judges 

In chronology, figures of speech are absurd, if they were 
possible; therefore the order of events as given here is 
simply a matter of fact. Bengel says: “We must adhere 


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closely to the order of the prophecy —Gnomon on Rev., 
p. 368. Though the divine order of sequence in this chapter 
cannot be disturbed, yet there are figures of speech that must 
be explained. 

John saw thrones and judges seated on them. During 
the Millennium there will be just laws, and they will be wisely 
administered. In that happy period freedom without law¬ 
lessness and authority without tyranny will be enjoyed; for 
enthroned justice will hold evenly the balances. The Ger¬ 
mans have been governed to death, while we Americans have 
liberty to the danger point. But in the coming Christian 
Utopia, rights and restrictions will be adjusted to a stable 
equilibrium. Then governmental regulations will advance 
the highest good, rightly defining the range and limits of 
privilege. Then will prevail New Testament Sociology, and, 
in this truly ethically ordered civilization, the Holy Spirit will 
be so abundantly bestowed that citizens not only will rejoice 
in their own rights, but will gladly and generously accord to 
their brethren and neighbors a full measure of prerogative. 
Today millions are groaning under despotisms civil and ec¬ 
clesiastical, while in our great Republic many are misusing 
their liberties and injuring the country that has so kindly be¬ 
stowed citizenship upon them. Our generous hospitality has 
been, and is being, most ungratefully and shamefully abused. 
But during the Millennium there will be authority and just 
judges of law and equity that will reign in truth and right¬ 
eousness over truly civilized peoples, who will cheerfully and 
promptly honor their godly rulers. 

The Souls of the Martyrs 

Verse 4: “And I saw the souls of them that were be¬ 
headed for the witness of Jesus, and for the Word of God.” 

This passage with many others proves that the grave does 
not hold the immortal spirit of man. These souls were en¬ 
trusted with authority as enthroned judges to administer 
justice with dignity and benignity. They enjoyed most dis¬ 
tinguished consideration. They had sealed with blood their 
testimony for Jesus and His inspired Word. Their good 
sense and their higher learning illuminated by a spiritual un- 


Twentieth Chapter of Revelation Explained 169 

derstanding, established in their minds an intelligent faith in 
the God-man as the Personal Revelation of Deity and in the 
Holy Scriptures as the Word Revelation of the Supreme 
Being. They held sacred the supernatural Book, miracu¬ 
lously communicated to prophets and apostles by the Holy 
Spirit. 

These faithful souls had not worshipped the “beast” 
which here represents the papal hierarchy. For over 1,200 
years this “man of Sin” has dominated the bodies and souls 
of men, and has made millions of martyrs. Neither had 
these heroic saints bowed down before idolatrous shrines; 
for they knew and kept the Second Commandment: “Thou 
shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness 
of any thing that is in heaven above or that is in the earth 
beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt 
not bow down thyself to them nor serve them; for I the 
Lord, thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the 
fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth genera¬ 
tion of them that hate me, and showing mercy unto thousands 
of them that love me, and keep my commandments.”—Ex. 
20:4-6. Also they had not received the “mark” of the beast. 
False religions will put their stamp upon their devotees. 
Easily one can recognize those that serve at Satan’s altars. 
Even the facial expression is made gross and gloomy by 
the evil spirits that reign within. How plainly you see the 
stamp of gluttony, drunkenness, and lust upon the faces of 
apostates from “the truth as it is in Jesus.” Also, the Lord’s 
saints have “clean hands” as well as lit up and joyous coun¬ 
tenances. 


The Martyrs Live and Reign 

But how do these martyrs live and reign on this earth? 
Notice, the record does not say they left their places in Para¬ 
dise. Such a notion would be quite unnatural and entirely 
without Scripture warrant. They are in a most glorious 
home and state, enjoying blessed fellowship with saints and 
angels, and holy communion with their adorable Saviour. 
“Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from hence¬ 
forth; yea, saith the Spirit; that they may rest from their 


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labors, and their works do follow them.”—Rev. 14:13. 
Their labors follow them to their eternal home where they 
“dwell in the House of the Lord forever.” Neither they 
nor their Saviour will ever return to live in this sin-cursed 
world. For they have gone to— 

“The undiscovered country, from whose bourne 
No traveler returns”; 

yet are they vital forces in the world. Paul said of Abel: 
“He being dead yet speaketh.”—Heb. 11:4. William of 
Orange is not dead, Cromwell still rules Anglo-Saxons, and 
Washington keeps his place in the hearts of his countrymen. 
The good, though dead, yet speak and rule. 

Thus, then, do they live on earth. They live in the grate¬ 
ful memory of the Church. The Psalmist says, “The right¬ 
eous shall be had in everlasting remembrance.”—Psalms 
112:6. Solomon says, “The memory of the just is blessed.” 
—Prov. 10:7. When the disciples found fault with the 
woman, who in the house of Simon the leper, anointed His 
feet with very precious ointment, from her alabaster box, 
Jesus said unto them: “Verily I say unto you, whereso¬ 
ever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world, 
there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told 
for a memorial of her.”—Matt. 26:13. To this day, 
throughout Christendom, that woman’s loving devotion to 
her blessed Lord, is preaching to millions. This deed of 
affection is following her, and her memorial is in all the 
earth. In one sense she is far more alive today than when 
she ministered at the feet of Jesus. It is so with Enoch, 
Abraham, Moses, and David; with Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel 
and Daniel; with Peter, James, John and Paul; with Luther, 
Knox, Wesley and Asbury. At present these worthy saints 
of God are better known, more appreciated, and vastly more 
influential, than when they were living on the earth. Indeed, 
the righteous live forever; for the Giver of Life has said, 
“Whosoever believeth in Me shall never die.”—John 11 :26. 
The good are the immortals. 

Ezekiel in speaking of the restoration of the Jews from 
Babylon used figurative language: “Thus saith the Lord 
God; Behold O my people, 1 will open your graves and 



Twentieth Chapter of Revelation Explained 171 

cause you to come out of your graves, and bring you into 
the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, 
when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought 
you up out of your graves and shall put my Spirit in you, 
and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land.”— 
Ezek. 37:12-14. 

This does not mean that there was a literal resurrection 
of the Jews that had died in Babylon; but it does mean that 
He brought back to their own land the living remnant of 
the nation, the children of those that had died in captivity. 
Barnes says: “How natural it is to use the very language 
employed here when the idea is intended to be conveyed of 
reviving former principles as if the men who held them 
should be raised to life again.”—Barnes’ Notes on Rev., p. 
466. Huss the martyr, believing in the ultimate triumph of 
the Gospel, said: “And I awaking from the dead, and rising, 
so to speak, from my grave, shall leap with great joy.”— 
Barnes’ Notes, p. 466. The figurative language of this chap¬ 
ter is well within the bounds of literary usage. 

The Martyrs Are Reigning 

Today the laws of Moses furnish the foundation prin¬ 
ciples of government for all civilized nations. Further, the 
teachings of our Lord are of paramount importance, not 
only in theology and eschatology, but also in ethics and so¬ 
ciology. More and more Christ is becoming the supreme 
authority in all realms of activity and thought. The world’s 
general trend points to the speedy enthronement in the 
human heart and mind, of the already Heaven-enthroned 
Messiah. He will be the Universal Ruler of this earth, 
reigning through His Church, His Word, and His Holy 
Spirit. He has already established His Kingdom in every 
regenerated soul. Thus, though now seated at the right hand 
of the Father on His eternal throne, He is also now the Head 
of His Church on earth. 

That is a most pitiable delusion that would dethrone the 
Saviour in Heaven, and bring Him down to earth again to 
head some visionary, spectacular manifestations at Jerusa¬ 
lem. In reference to this thousand-year period, Bengel re- 


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marks: “There is no error, much less danger, in maintaining 
that the thousand years are future, but rather in interpreting 
these years . . . in a carnal sense.”—Gnomon, p. 366. 

Mr. Wesley also sounds a note of warning against inter¬ 
preting the thousand years “in a gross and carnal sense.”— 
Notes on chapter 20 of Revelation. 

The Church must rid itself of this Jewish leaven of a 
temporary and temporal kingdom on this earth. The Lord 
of life and glory will never return to make Jerusalem, in 
gold and glitter and sumptuous splendors, outshine the Bab¬ 
ylon of Nebuchadnezzar or the imperial Rome of the Cae¬ 
sars. God forbid! This whole premillennial delusion lacks 
even attractive picturesqueness. It is just a clumsy chaos 
of crude and confused imaginings. Our blessed Lord once 
for all suffered His incarnation, trod the earth as a “man 
of sorrows,” “endured the cross,” and is now forever seated 
“at the right hand of the throne of God.”—Heb. 12:2. May 
the good Lord deliver us from these pomp and grandeur 
vagaries of backslidden Judaism! 

The Rest of the Dead Lived not Again 

Solomon says, “The memory of the wicked shall rot.”— 
Prov. 10:7. Concerning an ancient people, Jehovah declared, 
“For I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from 
under heaven.”—Exod. 17:14. The Psalmist speaks of this 
oblivion that buries the ungodly: “Thou shalt rebuke the 
heathen. Thou shalt put out their name forever. . . . 

Their memorial is perished with them.”—Psalms 9:5-6. 
“The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off 
the remembrance of them from the earth.”—Psalms 34:16. 

About 35 years ago there were two infidels, somewhat 
noted—one an American lawyer and the other a member of 
the British Parliament. They were bold and blatant. As 
I read from time to time the insane blasphemy of our law¬ 
yer, my heart would ache over the wicked ignorance of the 
“carnal mind which is enmity against God, and is not sub¬ 
ject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.”—Romans 8:7. 
Now both are dead and buried, “unwept, unhonored and un¬ 
sung.” A merciful silence dooms them to forgetfulness. 
When the Eternal City on the Tiber was in its greatness, 


Twentieth Chapter of Revelation Explained 173 

the Twelve Caesars, arrayed in imperial purple and pomp, 
ruled the known world. About the same time the Twelve 
Apostles, all of lowly origin, became the disciples of Jesus 
of Nazareth, and followed Him in His evangelistic tours 
in Judea, Samaria and Galilee, which were regarded as in¬ 
significant parts of the Roman Empire. But after nearly 
2,000 years, what has become of the world rulers? The 
Caesars have passed over the dark river into the land of 
shades, and only in dusty volumes of ancient history can 
you find a record of their lives. But what has become of 
the Twelve Apostles? Today their memory is fresh in the 
heart of a grateful world. Their statues are in churches 
and cathedrals in all the great cities of the globe, their writ¬ 
ings are found scattered throughout all Christendom, and 
every year millions of copies of the Gospels and Epistles 
are published. Now only a learned man can name the 
Twelve Caesars, but Sunday school children can tell you 
about “the glorious company of the Apostles.” Most 
assuredly these faithful followers of Jesus are living in the 
memory of mankind and by their writings they are ruling 
in all the higher realms of human life throughout Christen¬ 
dom. Of course, after the Millennium, during the little sea¬ 
son of apostasy, the wicked will again attain a brief and 
unenviable notoriety. For the final judgment of the Al¬ 
mighty will speedily overtake them and seal their doom to 
“the blackness of darkness forever.” Sinners are not among 
the true immortals. But the righteous in their noble deeds 
and beautiful lives, live through all generations of men. 
Yes, indeed, the primitive martyrs will live and reign during 
the thousand years of abounding Gospel grace. 

The First Resurrection 

That this is a figurative expression is evident from the 
context. In the following verse we read, “Blessed and holy 
is he that hath part in the first resurrection; on such the 
second death hath no power.” Truly blessed is the man 
that has been raised from a death of sin to a life of right¬ 
eousness. By nature a sinner is dead, by grace he is raised 
into newness of life. In the following passages Paul speaks 
of this spiritual resurrection: “And you did He make alive 


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when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins.”— 
Eph. 2:1, Revised Version. “Even when we were dead in 
sins, hath he quickened us together with Christ.”—Eph. 2 :5. 
As Christ was raised from physical death, so we, through His 
Spirit, receive a spiritual resurrection. Then, “we know that 
we have passed from death unto life.”—John 3 :4. On one 
occasion the Saviour announced: “I am the resurrection and 
the life.”—John 11:25. He said this because He raises up 
dead souls into spiritual life, because he has the power to 
raise dead sinners into living saints. Thus by the first resur¬ 
rection, souls that were dead in sin, “are made dead indeed 
unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” 
—Romans 6:11. The glad father of the returning prodigal 
could well exclaim: “This my son was dead and is alive 
again.”—Luke 15:24. The advent of Christ into the peni¬ 
tent soul marks the beginning of real living. Truly “blessed 
and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection,” which 
is experienced when one is born again. 

“On such the second death hath no power.” The first 
death is the separation of the body from the soul and the 
second death is the separation of both soul and body from 
God. As there are two deaths, one natural and one spiritual; 
so there are two resurrections, one natural and one spiritual. 
Our first resurrection takes place at conversion, when we 
are translated out of Satan’s Kingdom of death into Christ’s 
kingdom of eternal life. Then “old things are passed away; 
behold, all things are become new.”—2 Cor. 5:17. “But our 
second resurrection does not take place till the end of the 
world, when according to Scripture all the dead, good and 
bad, shall be raised, some to everlasting life, some to shame 
and everlasting contempt.”—Daniel 12:2. Thus we see that 
not only in this passage, but in other places, the word resur¬ 
rection has a figurative meaning. Now in this chapter the 
phrase, “first resurrection,” has a special meaning. It refers 
to the revival of the teachings and doctrines, for which the 
martyrs gave their lives. 

Malachi was the last of the old prophets, and in his two 
last verses, which are also the last verses of the Old Testa¬ 
ment, he makes this prediction: “Behold I will send you 
Elijah the prophet before the great and dreadful day of the 


Twentieth Chapter of Revelation Explained 175 

Lord; and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the chil¬ 
dren and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I 
come and smite the earth with a curse.”—Mai. 4:4-5. But 
the Saviour speaking to His disciples of John the Baptist, 
informed them: “If ye will receive it, this is Elias which was 
for to come.”—Matt. 11:14. Again, when His “disciples 
asked Him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must 
first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias 
truly shall first come, and restore all things, But I say unto 
you that Elias has come already.” “Then the disciples un¬ 
derstood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.”— 
Matt. 17:10-13. 

Here we are told by the Lord Himself that figuratively 
speaking, Elijah lived again in the person of John the Bap¬ 
tist—that the character and teaching of the great Tishbite 
had a resurrection, as it were, in the ministry of the fore¬ 
runner of the Messiah. Likewise the apostles and early 
martyrs had a resurrection in the reformers and more mod¬ 
ern martyrs, who revived their teaching and reproduced 
their characters. In like manner the doctrines of apostolic 
Christianity will be remembered, revived and made living 
principles during the Millennium. This will be, in one sense, 
a resurrection of these departed and most worthy saints to 
live and reign with Christ our Lord, who also now is and 
always will be, the Great “Head of the Church.” 

This remembrance of their holy living and dying for 
Christ, is, as it were, the first resurrection; for they still 
looked forward to the general resurrection, when their bod¬ 
ies would be raised in power, and, when with the body and 
soul, they would be glorified and made like unto their Lord, 
with whom they will dwell forever in the Heavenly Home. 

On this point Barnes observes: “The meaning then, so 
far as the language is concerned, must be that there would 
exist at the time of the thousand years, a state of things as 
if the martyrs were raised from the dead—an honoring of 
the martyrs as if they should live and reign with Christ. 
Their names would be vindicated, they would be exalted in 
public estimation above other men; they would be raised 
from the low rank in which they were held by the world in 
times of persecution, to a state which might well be repre- 


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sented by their sitting with Christ on the throne of govern¬ 
ment, and by their being made visible attendants on His 
glorious Kingdom.”—Notes on Rev., p. 465. 

When sinners are converted they experience the first 
resurrection, and when nations are raised from a death of 
sin to a life of righteousness they likewise enjoy their first 
resurrection. The glad day is coming when our ransomed 
race will accept the glorious benefits of the Atonement of 
our Blessed Lord who, on the cross, “made there, by His 
oblation of Himself once offered, a full, perfect, and suf¬ 
ficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for the sins of the 
whole world.” 


Christ, Our King 

Democratic principles are rapidly gaining recognition 
among the nations. Vast Russia and populous China are 
establishing republics. Thanks to our country, there is not 
a single monarchy on this Western Hemisphere. Moreover, 
nearly all Asia is virtually republican. The Lord was dis¬ 
pleased when His ancient people asked for a king. He knew 
that kings would be selfish and ungrateful, tyrannical and 
brutal. The nations are finding out that monarchs are 
costly and cruel, despotic and dangerous. But during the 
Millennium kingcraft and priestcraft, with the “divine right 
of kings” and “pontiffs,” will be numbered among the huge 
humbugs of darker ages. All pretensions and assumptions 
of special privilege and prerogative will be overthrown as 
our blessed Christianity elevates the depressed multitudes 
out of the valley of humiliation, and brings down the lordly 
and domineering mountains of oppressive imperialism. 
Then the world will enjoy a true theocracy—a divine gov¬ 
ernment with liberty, equality, and fraternity among its 
citizens. Then Christ will reign supreme in the hearts of 
His people; and through his saints, according to the teach¬ 
ings of the martyrs, will rule in justice and truth, in mercy 
and love, over this ransomed world. Such wise and honest 
administrations, recognizing the Redeemer, who gave his life 
for us, as the Supreme Authority, will wonderfully promote 
the welfare of all kindreds of the earth. “Happy is that 
people whose God is the Lord.”—Psalms 144:15. 


Twentieth Chapter of Revelation Explained 177 

Satan Loosed 

At the end of this glad period of rest, peace, and plenty, 
the devil will be loosed for a little season. Now why set the 
“old serpent” at liberty ? A blunt answer is simply this: 
To take the conceit, the self-sufficiency, the self-righteous¬ 
ness out of poor fallen humanity. St. Peter thought he was 
true and strong when Jesus said to His disciples: “All ye 
shall be offended because of Me this night.” Peter, trusting 
too much in himself, answered, “Though all men should be 
offended because of Thee, yet will I never be offended.”— 
Matt. 26:33. But before sunrise on the morrow, thrice and 
with oaths, he made sad and false denials. We are frail 
mortals and at best are only “sinners saved by grace.” “For 
all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”—Rom. 
3:23. “If we say that we have not sinned we make him a 
liar, and His Word is not in us.”—1 John 1:10. “Who can 
say I have made my heart clean. I am pure from my sin ?” 
—Prov. 20:9. 

After a thousand years of wonderful peace and prosperity 
and freedom from hellish subtility, some will surely become 
overconfident of themselves. Even under present circum¬ 
stances of moral and spiritual failures and disasters, what 
multitudes are clothed with the “filthy rags” of self-right¬ 
eousness ! They do not realize their sad condition and utter 
dependence upon God. Therefore, to show man his help¬ 
lessness and natural depravity, to give him a proper estimate 
of himself, and to prepare him for an eternity of loving 
trust and obedience, it will be necessary to let loose the devil 
and his fiendish host for a “little season.” This will be the 
final sifting time for our race; after which our Heavenly 
Father will have a tried and proved people as inhabitants of 
the Celestial City. To some this final trial of humanity may 
present a serious problem. But we know that “He doeth all 
things well,” and that “all things work together for good to 
them that love God.”—Rom. 8:28. 

Satan as the Arch Deceiver 

He is the most ancient, the most highly gifted, and the 
most successful Universalist preacher that the world has 
ever seen. His first sermon was preached in the Garden of 


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Eden from the text: “Thou shalt not surely die.” There 
and then he won his first convert, who was our beautiful 
mother Eve, and who, by believing the old serpent, brought 
death upon herself and her posterity. For nearly 6,000 years 
Satan has continued to deceive the world by presenting false 
views of life. The Saviour well described him. “He was a 
murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth, 
because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, 
he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar and the father of 
it.”—John 8:44. He is the arch-heretic, the inspirer of 
“false prophets . . . and false teachers . . . who 

privily bring in damnable heresies.”—2 Pet. 2:1. He is the 
most renowned professor of heresy, has recently made dread¬ 
ful havoc among so-called critics, and had deceived and hu¬ 
miliated great institutions of learning. Paul knew the devices 
of Satan and sounded the warning. “For such are false 
apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into 
the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself 
is transformed into an angel of light.”—2 Cor. 11:13, 14. 
Of late this ancient heretic has been poisoning the very 
fountains of knowledge, and overloading the presses with 
inferior and unwholesome literature; so that colleges of 
international reputation have been afflicted with mental 
debility. The so-called learned world needs a resurrection 
from intellectual death unto spiritual life, so as to distin¬ 
guish between truth and error, so as to love truth, state it 
clearly, and defend it ably—needs what Paul thought the 
Romans needed when he wrote to them: “Be ye trans¬ 
formed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove 
what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of 
God.”—Rom. 12:2. Without a divine illumination even 
the most highly educated are lamentably ignorant in all the 
higher realms of truth. 

Gog and Magog 

The name Gog, which means “high mountain,” is men¬ 
tioned only this once in the New Testament, and in the 
Old Testament it is found only in the thirty-eighth and 
thirty-ninth chapters of Ezekiel—ten times in all. Young- 
in his Analytical Concordance makes this note concerning 


Twentieth Chapter of Revelation Explained 179 

him; “a prince of Rosh, Mesek, Tubal, and Tiras, in 
ancient Scythia or Tartary.” According to Dean Alford, 
“the names of Gog and Magog have been used in the rab¬ 
binical books to signify the nations which should in the 
latter days come up to Jerusalem against the Messiah.” 
. . . “This name Magog occurs in Genesis 10:2, as 

that of a son of Japhet, in company with brethren whose 
names mostly belong to northern and northeastern nations.” 
. . . “With these, however, are joined in Ezekiel 

38:5, Persians, Ethiopians, and Libyans.” “It seems to be a 
general name for the northern nations, and Gog, if at least 
we may follow the analogy of Ezekiel 38:2, is their prince.” 
—Alford’s Greek Testament on Rev., ch. 20. In any case 
Gog and Magog are the names given to those evil forces, 
which, during the Postmillennial little season, when the 
world is getting worse and worse, will marshal Satan’s hosts 
against the saints of the Lord. 

This last great backsliding is one of the most humiliat¬ 
ing and deplorable events in the history of our race. How 
sad! after enjoying a thousand years of Gospel grace and 
blessing, temporal and spiritual, that Gog and Magog, un¬ 
der the inspiration of the “dragon” could be able to muster 
a force “the number of whom is as the sands of the sea,” 
to desolate the world with the awful horrors of war. With 
this final apostasy, as the closing event in human history, 
we may well humble ourselves as in dust and ashes, and 
penitently join in the Litany: “O Holy, blessed and glori¬ 
ous Trinity, three Persons in one God, have mercy upon us 
miserable sinners”; “Spare us, Good Lord”; “We beseech 
Thee to hear us, Good Lord”; “O Lord, arise help us, and 
deliver us for thy Name’s sake.” 

The Punishment of the Wicked 

These apostate rebels against the Divine Majesty are 
not allowed to make any more martyrs; for the wrath of 
God breaks forth upon them. “Fire came down from 
Heaven and devoured them.” To the wicked out of Christ, 
“Our God is a consuming fire.”—Heb. 12:29. Before his 
wrath, who will be able to stand? The Mighty Maker of 


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Heaven and earth is greater than all His works in both 
realms—matter and mind—and before Him the hosts of 
hell must give away. 

It is declared that the devil, the “beast,” and the “false 
prophet” were cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, and 
that they shall be “tormented day and night forever and 
ever.” This is an appalling declaration, and the human 
mind is staggered with the thought of eternal punishment. 
Some may think that such a statement is unreasonable, 
but we shall see soon that it is both scriptural and philosophi¬ 
cal. May the Omniscient One give us wisdom and guide us 
to right conclusions! 

It is quite probable that Satan started his rebellion in 
Heaven a long time ago. We may suppose that his banish¬ 
ment from the Divine Presence was rendered necessary mil¬ 
lions of years before the fall of our first parents. But he is 
suffering today, because he is sinning today; and it is quite 
evident that he will go on sinning and suffering throughout 
eternity. Now is this reasonable? That is the question. 

Any truly sane person will grant that the supreme 
authority in the Universe is vested in a Moral Governor, 
that we are living under a moral Administration, that viola¬ 
tions of this order, called sins, must be accounted for either 
in suffering or in atonement. That is, sin and suffering are 
justly inseparable; but through the grace of our Lord and 
Saviour, pardon for past sins can be obtained and power 
bestowed enabling us to render future obedience to the 
divine will. Hence, if even Satan, after his fall had become 
truly penitent, the All-Father would doubtless have found 
a way to pardon. But of his own will the devil hardened 
himself into an eternal attitude of revolt and hatred against 
his Father-Creator, and thereby has doomed himself to sin¬ 
ning and eternal damnation. 

This conclusion is reasonable—is both philosophical and 
Scriptural. Briefly stated, it may be said that government 
implies law, and that law just as surely implies penalty; 
therefore, the continual violation of law involves continual 
penalty. From a purely legal standpoint, sin and suffering 
are necessarily inseparable. This is a most reasonable con¬ 
tention. Consequently, eternal sinners are eternal sufferers. 


Twentieth Chapter of Revelation Explained 181 

At the revolt in Heaven it was absolutely necessary to 
expel the destroyers of peace and happiness, and to prepare 
a place for these fallen angels. Therefore, hell was a moral 
necessity. The Almighty must either provide a localized 
and circumscribed perdition, or allow the devil and his de¬ 
mons to turn the universe into one vast pandemonium. If 
the Almighty did not restrain the powers of perdition, they 
would just deluge all worlds with all manner of evils. Solo¬ 
mon wisely said: “One sinner destroyeth much good.”— 
Eccl. 9:18. In vindication of the divine government, we 
must remember that the Lord’s first duty—if we may so 
speak—is to His innocent faithful children. We now see 
the justice and the necessity of such a place as hell. Man 
need not, however, complain about the “lake of fire” for two 
reasons: (1) It was not made for him originally, but for the 
devil and his angels. (2) He has no need to make his bed in 
hell. Indeed, he is an intruder there. God has in Christ 
provided an all-sufficient atonement for our sins and a glo¬ 
rious place in Heaven for our future Home. Let us listen, 
then, to our loving Lord as He cries out, “For why will ye 
die, O house of Israel?”—Ezek. 33:11. How foolish it is 
to cavil about “fire and brimstone”! Remember that the Al¬ 
mighty never exaggerates. His affirmations always have 
their full face value, and no man or angel dare change the 
words of the All-wise Teacher. Remember also that hell 
was not intended for mortals, but that we were created for a 
glorious destiny. Further, remember that “the lake of fire 
and brimstone” is not the most appalling consideration in this 
eternally momentous matter. But the fact that a human 
being, in spite of the atoning death and infinite love of our 
blessed Saviour, can so resist the Holy Spirit as to solidify 
and crystallize into an attitude of eternal rebellion and hatred 
against his Heavenly Father, and can become so depraved in 
his nature as to prefer hateful demons to holy angels, and 
a dreadful hell of misery to a happy heavenly home. May 
we all yield to our loving Lord and let Him deliver us from 
“the bitter pains of eternal death”! It is also well for us 
finite creatures to commit these vast problems to the Infinite 
Mind, and to say with Abraham, “Shall not the Judge of all 
the earth do right?”—Gen. 18:25. Of course, the godless 


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infidel in his wicked ignorance and mental depravity will find 
fault with the just and necessary judgments of our Heavenly 
Father. 

The False Prophet 

Here the reference is to Mohammed. The two funda¬ 
mental doctrines of Islam are: “There is no God save Allah, 
and Mohammed is his prophet.” Mohammedans “declare 
that God has revealed Himself through four holy men; to 
Moses he gave the Pentateuch; to David, the Psalms; to 
Jesus, the Gospels; and to Mohammed, the last and the 
greatest of all the prophets, he gave the Koran.”—Myers’ 
General History, p. 395. 

Thus Mohammedanism is the world-leader of Unitarians. 
Today the Sultan of Turkey, “the execrable Turk,” with his 
harem and bloody barbarities, is the head and front of that 
blasphemous movement called Unitarianism. The Moslem 
apostasy was founded in falsehood, robbery, and murder, and 
is today carrying on its diabolical mission in making hun¬ 
dreds of thousands of martyrs among the godly Trinitarian 
Armenians. But the final place of the “false prophet” is 
with the devil and the “beast” in the abyss of perdition. 
Christless Unitarianism slanders the Virgin Mary, blas¬ 
phemes “the Holy Child Jesus,” and has produced the vile 
Turk, who, on account of his social, political, and religious 
rottenness, is a disgrace to Europe. 

The Second Advent of Christ 

Now appears “the great white throne.” The monarchies 
of earth have all been stained by injustice, violence, and 
blood. But the kingdom of the Messiah is founded on ab¬ 
solute truth and righteousness; for neither tyrants nor slaves 
are about this “great white throne” of divine judgment. This 
throne, bearing the appointed Judge, appears amidst clouds of 
glory, accompanied by shining angelic hosts, while 
celestial trumpeters announce the Coming of the Judge 
Supreme. Paul told the learned Athenians, “God 
hath appointed a day in the which He will judge the 
world in righteousness, by that Man whom He hath ordained, 
whereof He hath given assurance to all men in that He hath 


Twentieth Chapter of Revelation Explained 183 

raised Him from the dead.”—Acts 17:31. Paul tells us defi¬ 
nitely who this Judge is: “I charge thee therefore before God 
and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the 
dead at His glorious appearing and His kingdom; preach the 
word.”—2 Tim. 4:1-2. Jesus Himself told the people: “For 
the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment 
unto the Son.” “And hath given Him authority to execute 
judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.”—John 5 :22 
and 27. Of this fact Paul informs the Church at Rome, and 
to the Corinthians sends this similar message: “For we must 
all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.”—2 Cor. 5 :10. 
Surely we are fully advised that our final judge is our Lord 
and Saviour who will return, as He departed, in clouds of 
glory accompanied by angelic hosts. 

The General Resurrection 

Immediately following the Saviour’s appearance in the 
heavens, the Universal Resurrection takes place. John says: 
“I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God.” In the 
Greek Testament three words are used for resurrection. 
They are egersis, which primarily means a “waking up,” and 
it is found only once in the New Testament—Matt. 27:53; 
exanastasis, which means “a rising again,” and which occurs 
only once in the New Testament—Phil. 3:11; and anastasis, 
which means “a standing or rising up,” and which is found 
thirty-eight times in the New Testament, and is the common 
word for resurrection. In the Bible none of these words are 
ever found in the plural. This one fact cannot be reconciled 
with the assumption that there will be two bodily resurrec¬ 
tions about 1,000 years apart. This fact tends also to con¬ 
firm the conclusion that the phrase, “first resurrection,” 
which is found only in this 20th chapter of Revelation, must 
be understood in a figurative sense. To make a fundamental 
doctrine of two resurrections, when the word is never found 
in the plural, is certainly unwarranted exegesis, and must be 
charged to some mental or moral aberration. 

Evidently, the apostle here refers to one final, general 
resurrection of all the dead. He saw “the dead, small and 
great, stand before God.” “The sea gave up the dead which 
were in it, and death and hell delivered up the dead, which 


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were in them; and they were judged every man according to 
their works.” “The King of Terrors” was compelled to sur¬ 
render all bodies in earth and sea. All graves must open 
wide their doors and give up the precious dust. Death must 
unlock all iron and stone vaults and costly mausoleums. 
Even hell must surrender its imprisoned spirits. The Greeks 
had only one word, Hades, to denote the abode of departed 
spirits. But the Romans, like ourselves, had two words, 
namely, Tartarus, which referred to “the infernal regions,” 
and Elysium, to “the abode of the blessed.” How all-inclu¬ 
sive is the language here! “The great and the small,” the 
good and the bad, are all summoned to the one great Judg¬ 
ment. All sepulchres, all abodes of departed spirits, the 
Hades of torment and the Paradise of blessedness—all are 
absolutely emptied. “The Day of the Lord” has come and 
the trumpet of the arch-angel sounds the call for a universal 
Resurrection and Judgment. This is the final and eternal 
decision of all destinies. 

The Meeting in the Air 

When Christ makes His Second Advent He will not ac¬ 
tually descend to this earth, but we shall be caught up to meet 
Him in the air. Read Paul’s description of this momentous 
event: “For this I say unto you by the word of the Lord 
that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the 
Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep. 
For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a 
shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump 
of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we that 
are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up 
in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we 
ever be with the Lord.”—1 Th. 4: 15-17 (Revised Version). 

In this minute and graphic description of the Second 
Coming, notice that Christ does not come down to the earth, 
but that we meet Him in the air—notice that Christ does not 
come to dwell with us, but that He takes us away to dwell 
with Him—notice that the living have no precedence over 
their dead brethren, but that the dead in Christ are raised 


Twentieth Chapter of Revelation Explained 185 

before the living are changed—notice that the raised dead 
and the changed living will together be caught up into the 
air to meet their glorified Saviour, and they “shall ever be 
with the Lord”—not on this burnt up earth, but in His Home 
in Heaven. The Saviour gives us further information on 
these important matters. “In my Father’s house are many 
mansions, if it were not so I would have told you; I go to 
prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for 
you, I will come again and receive you unto myself; that 
where I am there ye may be also.”—John 14:2, 3. How 
distinctly both Paul and the Saviour in speaking of the Ad¬ 
vent, state that it will be only a visit, in which Christ will 
receive and take away with Him His faithful followers from 
earth to Heaven. 

The Saviour Himself describes this wonderful meeting 
in the air: “And there shall appear the sign of the Son of 
Man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth 
mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the 
clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He shall 
send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they 
shall gather together His elect from the four winds from 
one end of heaven to the other.”—Matt. 24:20, 31. 

Notice again, the Lord appears in heaven and sends His 
angels to earth to gather His elect. Christ speaks further on 
this subject: “Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man com¬ 
ing in clouds with power and great glory.”—Luke 21:27. In 
all these descriptions of His Second Coming the earth is 
never mentioned as His objective. But our eyes are always 
lifted from things terrestrial to view the celestial manifesta¬ 
tions of His glorious appearing. In visions of His Return, 
the Saviour is always seen in the heavens and never on the 
earth. This contradicts the Premillennial contention. The 
unfortunate earth-reign notion is the result of hasty and ill- 
informed exegesis. The fact is that no passage of Scripture 
affirms that Christ will ever set foot on this earth again. 

The Disappearance of the Earth 

According to the inspired writers Christ was seated on 
the great white throne as Judge, and “the earth and the 


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heavens fled away, and there was found no place for them.” 
This one fact alone demolishes all these unscriptural pre¬ 
dictions about our Lord reigning in Person at Jerusalem 
for a thousand years. If no place could be found for this 
fleeing and burning world, how could our dear Premillen- 
nialists establish on it a splendid court with transcendent and 
magnificent grandeurs, with spacious mundane and super¬ 
celestial environment! The plain, simple and oft-repeated 
statements of the Scriptures, revealing the divine order of 
the great eschatological events, easily dispose of the vague 
and contradictory extravaganza of Premillennialism. Christ 
calls this earth God’s footstool, it will never be His throne. 
Isaiah had truly exalted views: “Behold the nations are as a 
drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the 
balance; behold, He taketh up the isles as a very little thing.” 
—Isaiah 40:15. No wonder, that when the Redeemer ap¬ 
peared, as the Great Judge Eternal, the earth and its heaven 
fled away into some fathomless abyss of infinite space. 

Isaiah must have had reference to this closing scene of 
earth’s history when he wrote: “And all the hosts of heaven 
shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled away as a 
scroll; and all their host shall fall down as the leaf falleth 
from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.”—Isa. 
34:4. Peter gives a similar description of the “Day of the 
Lord” which means the day of His Return: “But the Day 
of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which 
the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the ele¬ 
ments shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the 
works that are therein shall be burned up.”—2 Peter 3:10. 
All these passages agree in showing that the Coming of 
Christ will mark the utter destruction of this planet. Indeed, 
there will be no Jerusalem to be the capital of the imaginary 
kingdom of Adventists. But the Kingdom of God, called 
also the Kingdom of Heaven, was set up on the Day of Pen¬ 
tecost, when this Dispensation of the Holy Spirit was inaug¬ 
urated. This spiritual kingdom is established in the heart 
of every true believer. It is sometimes referred to as the 
Church, and the Church is spoken of under the beautiful 


Twentieth Chapter of Revelation Explained 187 

symbol of a Bride, for whom in due time the Lord will re¬ 
turn and take away with Him to Heaven, where He will 
reign forever and ever. No doubt, Jerusalem will become a 
fine city during the thousand years of Gospel triumph. But 
these vague and vain imaginings about the Glorified Saviour 
being enthroned on Mount Zion and exercising a world-wide 
imperialism over this earth after 

“The wreck of matter and the crash of worlds,” 

must be abandoned as a vagary overwhelmed in endless con¬ 
fusion. 


The Final Judgment 

At this time the final estates of all human beings will be 
settled. When the books are opened, what records impeni¬ 
tent sinners will have to face! It is said: “Another book 
was opened which is the Book of Life.” In it, doubtless, are 
recorded the worthy deeds of the righteous. Malachi refers 
to this: “And a book of remembrance was written before 
Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon 
His Name.”—Mai. 3:16. Special fidelity will be rewarded 
by gracious consideration from our Blessed Lord. “And 
the dead were judged out of those things which were written 
in the books, according to their works.” Most solemn 
thought! We must all face our record. We may well lay 
to heart our responsibilities and endeavor to reach our pos¬ 
sibilities. We must fear God and keep His commandments. 
To strengthen and encourage, the Saviour said to the beloved 
disciple: “Fear not; I am the first and the last; I am He that 
liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, 
Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”—Rev. 1: 
17, 18. 

The closing sentences of this wonderful chronological 
chapter are burdened with appalling declarations: “And death 
and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second 
death, and whosoever was not found written in the book of 
life, was cast into the lake of fire.” Verse 10 also informs 
us of saddest final doom: “And the devil that deceived them 
was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast 


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and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and 
night for ever and ever.” The devil with his fallen angels, 
filthy, modern, Papal Babylon, blaspheming Mohammedan 
Unitarianism,—they all shall go down together into the end¬ 
less torments of Hell. 

For Jesus’ sake, O Lord, I pray, 

That at the Judgment Day 
In book of life, with record clear, 

There may my name appear. 

The Divine Order of the Great Eschatological 

Events 

These final events will be as follows:— 

1. An angel—not Christ—will come down from Heaven. 

2. This angel binds and confines Satan in the bottomless 
pit for 1,000 years. 

3. During the thousand-year period the principles and 
teachings for which Christ and His martyrs died, will have, 
as it were, a resurrection, and will govern the world in “truth 
and righteousness.” (This will be the world’s first resurrec¬ 
tion.) 

4. After this happy period of peace and plenty, will 
come the “little season,” when Satan is released, and when 
the world gets worse and worse. 

5. Then the Devil marshals Gog and Magog with the 
blackslidden people to make war on the saints. 

6. But fire comes down from heaven and devours the 
wicked. 

1 

7. Now appears the great white throne, and upon it is 
seated Christ the Judge. 

8. The Universal Resurrection of all good and bad now 
takes place. 

9. The meeting in the air of Christ and His Bride, the 
Church. 

10. The passing away of the earth. 

11. The General Judgment of all mankind, good and 
bad. 

12. The final estates of angels and men. 


Twentieth Chapter of Revelation Explained 189 

Conclusion 

This twentieth chapter of Revelation gives a well defined 
outline in chronological order of the great last events of hu¬ 
man history. How abundant and minute are the statements 
of Scripture on all essential matters? The Word of the 
Lord is clear and full, so that the runner may read and un¬ 
derstand. Some of our premillennial brethren ought to be 
referred to the Old Testament law concerning false prophets. 

These ill-starred exegetes make many most serious mis¬ 
takes. They put the “Little Season” when the world is get¬ 
ting “worse and worse,” before the Millennium, while the 
Lord Himself puts it after that happy period. They really 
give Satan command of the world, forgetting that the Lord 
God Almighty “doeth according to His will in the army of 
Heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth,”—they are 
calamity preachers, and not heralds of the Gospel good news. 
They ignorantly or wickedly ignore the present Dispensa¬ 
tion of the Holy Spirit. They not only misinterpret the Old 
Testament Messianic predictions, but misplace them, and, 
denying their present fulfilment in Christ and His Church, 
which has in it all the elements for world-wide expansion and 
conquest, they project these prophecies concerning Chris¬ 
tianity into some future imaginary and heterogenous state 
of mingled earthly and spiritual conditions. They have thus 
annoyed, perplexed and hindered apostolic Christianity with 
false predictions throughout the centuries of our Christian 
era. They do not seem to understand that this is the last 
Dispensation. The Patriarchal and the Mosaic have passed, 
and now we are in the fullness of Gospel grace and blessing, 
according to the prediction given by the prophet Joel, and 
reiterated by St. Peter on the Day of Pentecost: “And it 
shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out 
of my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daugh¬ 
ters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, 
and your old men shall dream dreams, and on my servants 
and my hand-maidens I will pour out in those days of my 
Spirit and they shall prophesy.” “And it shall come to pass 
that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be 
saved.”—Acts 2:17, 18-21. 


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The Bible is the final Word, and the Son and the Holy 
Spirit are God’s final, unspeakable and supremest gifts for 
man’s salvation. The divine mission of Christianity is to 
evangelize the whole world. To this end let the pedantic 
critic cease mutilating the “Word of God,” let the pessi¬ 
mistic Premillennialist cease uttering his ill-considered pre¬ 
dictions about the Second Coming, and let all lovers of Zion, 
all the followers of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, help 
forward every interest of the Kingdom of Heaven. Under 
the leadership of the Conquering Captain of our Salvation, 
the Church, now looking forth into the morning of happier 
times, “fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an 
army with banners,” will go up and possess the whole earth 
in the all-prevailing name of the Redeemer of Mankind. 
“And in that day ye shall say, Praise the Lord, call upon 
His Name, declare His doings among the people, make men¬ 
tion that His Name is exalted. Sing unto the Lord, for He 
hath done excellent things; this is known in all the earth. 
Cry out and shout thou inhabitant of Zion; for great is the 
Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.” Then “the ran¬ 
somed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs 
and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy 
and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”— 
Isa. 35 :10. 

God is Triumphant in His Church Militant 

And now unto the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son, 
and the Spirit, One God in Persons Three, ever blessed, 
eternal, and glorious mystery, be ascribed worship, adoration, 
and thanksgiving, through our Lord and Saviour Jesus 
Christ. Amen. 


PART VI 


FOREWORD 

Of late the movements in the Christian world have been 
so rapid that the reader will find the following statistics 
in some instances quite below the facts in the case; but the 
data will at least show the upward trend of Church activities. 




\ 


THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES 


THE PROGRESS OF CHRISTIANITY 

It is essential that we have correct views concerning the 
nature and destiny of Christianity. Dr. Josiah Strong says: 
“So long as there is a radical difference between truth and 
falsehood, and so long as truth sustains relations to life, it 
will make a difference whether men believe true or false 
doctrines. Doctrines are the roots of life. Great lives do 
not grow out of false beliefs. Yes, doctrine is immensely 
important, but not all-important.”—The New Era, p. 125. 

Dr. Dorchester says: “At the present time no intelligent 
person, standing in the light of the last four centuries, and 
beholding the great religious movements of this age, can 
doubt that Christianity is advancing. Every year it is robing 
itself in new effulgence, and pouring its blessed illumination 
upon new millions of earth’s population.”—Problems of Re¬ 
ligious Progress, p. 510. 

Dr. Sidney L. Guilick has written a most valuable book 
on “The Growth of the Kingdom of God.” In it he shows 
that in our country at the beginning of the century (19th), 
out of 5,300,000 inhabitants, the church members numbered 
only 364,000, i. e., about seven out of a hundred. The 
growth, however, during the present century is astonishing. 
In 1850, the church membership had reached the sum of 
3,529,000, being 15 per cent of the population; and after 
forty years more (1890) it had reached the sum of 14,180,- 
000, being 22 y 2 per cent of the population. The percentages 
show how much faster the Church has grown than the popu¬ 
lation. During the ninety years the total population in¬ 
creased twelve times, while the Church membership in¬ 
creased thirty times.—The Growth of the Kingdom of 
God, p. 139. It is said that “since 1800 the American Prot¬ 
estant Churches have multiplied their total membership sev¬ 
enty-one times, and in that period of time have doubled their 



194 


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membership on an average of approximately once every 
twenty years. In a century they have extended their mis¬ 
sions to practically every non-Christian nation on the globe.” 

The Christian College 

Harvard and Yale were founded long before Methodism 
entered the field of higher education. Harvard, named after 
a Puritan minister, held its first commencement in 1642. It 
was established by the godly Pilgrim Fathers “to advance 
learning, and perpetuate it to Posterity, dreading to leave an 
illiterate ministry to the Churches, when our present min¬ 
isters shall lie in the dust.” 

Yale “had its actual beginning in 1700.” “It was founded 
by ministers selected by the churches of the colony . . . 
to the end that they might ‘educate in our own way.’ ”— 
Ency. Brit. 

It is greatly to be feared that some well-endowed uni¬ 
versities have drifted far from their original Christian moor¬ 
ings, and have become afflicted with “the pride of learning” 
which has made them the easy prey of insane agnosticism. 

This deplorable mental lapsus made it necessary for Meth¬ 
odism to establish Christian colleges . While some of our 
Christian schools may have failed in faithfully stating and 
defending the fundamental verities of our Holy Christianity, 
yet they have been among the main standard bearers of the 
“truth as it is in Jesus.” For the Church schools of the 
Papacy are worse than worthless in the great conflict of light 
and liberty against ignorance and oppression. But our halls 
of learning on account of their evangelistic tone have pre¬ 
sented to the country the true college ideals. Methodism in 
permeating education with the spirit of our Blessed Lord and 
Saviour, is elevating her students to a high moral plane and 
is making co-education, not only possible, but highly bene¬ 
ficial, to multitudes of young people. 

In passing, it ought to be said that infidel institutions are 
perilous places for co-education. Indeed, this is a pertinent 
question: Should materialists, who are devoid of any real 
sense of obligation to the Supreme Being, be intrusted with 
the sacred office of instructing the youth of a nation? The 
bold and blatant negations of blind unbelief in our God-given 


The Signs of the Times 


195 


Revelation, should never have an opportunity to poison the 
developing mind in the formative period of its intellectual 
life. 

Our church and the other great Protestant Denominations 
are rendering and will render, an ever increasing service of 
untold value to all the intellectual interests of the nation. 
The Educational Jubilee of Methodism has recently taken 
place. In a few years, from nothing, there has come into 
being a vast college system. 

“From 1784, when Cokesbury was founded, to 1922 is a 
brief period—‘a watch in the night’; Methodist education 
in America has expanded into a great system with 44 colleges 
and universities, 35 professional schools—most of them 
connected with the universities—and 33 secondary schools. 
They have properties worth $42,000,000; endowment to the 
amount of $49,000,000. They have 53,701 students of 
whom 7,561 are in the secondary schools, 11,192 in the pro¬ 
fessional schools, and 35,038 in the colleges and universities. 
They have 2,980 teachers, highly educated and nobly in¬ 
spired, who seek to train heart and head and hand for the 
work these students ought to do in the next generation.”— 
New York Christian Advocate, Aug. 16, 1923. 

During the past fifty years there has been an immense 
forward movement in all our scholastic departments. In 
this there is great hope for the rising generation. Romanism 
fulminates its wicked decree—“Ignorance is the mother of 
devotion”—but Protestantism proclaims, Christianity is the 
patron of learning, for Christian Churches and Colleges are 
fellow-laborers in the vineyard of the Lord. But education 
without true religion filled Germany with agnostics and 
atheists, with murderers and SCOUNDRELS. Confucius 
taught: “Learning undigested by thought, is labor lost; 
thought unassociated by learning is perilous.” It may be 
added: Both thought and learning unenlightened by Chris¬ 
tianity, are perilous. Our Church may well rejoice that our 
institutions are standing on a. Christian foundation and are 
sounding hopeful notes for world-evangelism. 


196 


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Science is Becoming More Reverent 

Dr. Guilick says: “It is a significant sign of the return of 
scientific men toward the theistic view of the world, that the 
Marquis of Salisbury in his recent address as President of 
the British Scientific Association and as giving a dispassion¬ 
ate and accepted summary of the present view of natural 
science, could assert in the words of Lord Kelvin (Sir Wil¬ 
liam Thomson) ‘that the argument of design has been 
greatly too much lost sight of in recent zoological specula¬ 
tions. Overpoweringly strong proofs of intelligence and 
benevolent design lie around us; . . . with irresistible 

force they show to us through nature the influence of a free 
will, and teach us that all living things depend on one ever¬ 
lasting Creator and Ruler’ .... The number of Anti- 
Christian scientists is without doubt comparatively small, 
though they attract much attention by the extreme nature 
of their views, and the constancy with which they assert 
them.”—The Growth of the Kingdom of God.—Guilick, p. 
287. 


The Sunday School 

It gives promise of the speedy spread of Christianity over 
the world. “There is the sound of abundance of rain.” It 
is said that Mr. Wesley organized the first Sunday School 
in 1736, in Savannah, Georgia. However that may be, we 
know that in 1781, a Sunday School was started by Robert 
Raikes in Gloucester, England. At present, it may be said, 
that Sunday Schools are being organized in all lands, and 
every Lord’s Day the Holy Scriptures are read and explained 
to millions of children. Thus, this pre-eminently Christian 
institution which is devoted to the mental, moral, and spirit¬ 
ual instruction of children, that they may enter into the King¬ 
dom of God, is becoming a universal blessing to the race. 
There is “The World’s Sunday School Association,” which 
has already held several great Conventions. The first assem¬ 
bled in London, England, in 1889. Since then, it has assem¬ 
bled in St. Louis, London, Jerusalem, Rome, Washington, 
Zurich, and in Tokyo, Japan. “The World’s Sunday School 
membership reported at Zurich, was 30,015,037, distributed 


197 


Tiie Signs of the Times 


in 310,057 Sunday Schools.” A most blessed extension of 
the Redeemer’s Kingdom! The little class of ignorant and 
neglected children, gathered in from the streets of an English 
town by a kind-hearted printer, has increased to vast mul¬ 
titudes in nearly all nations in less than a century and a half. 
What an unanswerable proof of world betterment! 

Christian Organizations 

In 1795, the London Missionary Society was founded and 
began its difficult and wonderful work in the South Seas. 
Then, four years afterward, the English Church Missionary 
Society entered upon its great career for the propagation of 
the Gospel in foreign parts. 

In 1799, the year in which my father was born, the Lon¬ 
don Tract Society was established, and for the last hundred 
years has been scattering broadcast millions of leaves which 
are “for the healing of the nations.” It is estimated that 
Duncan Matthewson, the Scottish evangelist, in his lifetime, 
distributed 100,000 tracts. 

In 1810, the Congregationalists of this country became in¬ 
terested in missions, and the American Board began its far- 
reaching work. Then after a time the American Presbyte¬ 
rian Board was organized. The Presbyterians, though a little 
late in entering the field, are making rapid progress. Their 
givings are generous and their work is well sustained and 
is rapidly extending. 

In 1817, the Wesleyan Missionary Society of Great Brit¬ 
ain started foreign missions, and today in India and China, 
in Africa and South America, in Australia and the islands 
of the sea her zealous workers are lifting up the Crucified 
Redeemer before the astonished gaze of benighted multi¬ 
tudes. 

In 1826, the American Temperance Society was formed at 
Boston, and this event may be regarded as the origin of the 
great Temperance Movement of our time. There may well 
be national rejoicing over the recent and remarkable victories 
of the Anti-Saloon League, which has made recently a clean 
sweep of our great Republic; and this is evidently only the 
precursor of vast reforms in every department of national 


198 


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life. The world is becoming sober and sane upon social, 
moral and religious questions. Nations are believing as 
never before in “the Fatherhood of God and the Brother¬ 
hood of Man.” 

BIBLE SOCIETIES 

The British and Foreign Bible Society 

The translation and circulation of the Holy Scriptures 
have engaged the earnest attention of Christians from the 
earliest times. “In an extant letter, dated 331, A. D., the 
Emperor Constantine requested Eusebius, bishop of 
Caesarea, to provide him with fifty copies of the Old and 
New Testaments for use in the principal churches in Con¬ 
stantinople. In 797 A. D., Charlemagne commissioned 
Alcuin to prepare an amended text of the Vulgate; copies 
of this text were multiplied, not always accurately, in the 
famous writing Schools of Tours. The first book printed 
in England was the Latin Bible, and Copinger estimates that 
124 editions of the Vulgate had been issued by the end of the 
15th century. The Italian Bible was printed a dozen times 
before A. D. 1500, and eighteen editions of the German 
Bible had already been published before Luther’s version 
appeared.”—Ency. Brit., Vol. 3, p. 905. 

Of course, during the Dark Ages, the benighted and per¬ 
secuting Papacy nearly robbed the world of the Word of 
God. According to one of our bishops, quite recently Bibles 
were burned in the city of Rome. But since the Great Refor¬ 
mation of the 16th century, there have been many extensive 
revivals of interest in the dissemination of the Holy Scrip¬ 
tures, and great organizations have come into existence, 
having just the one divine purpose of translating and 
publishing to the whole world, the Holy-Spirit inspired 
Word of the Lord. 

In 1804 the British and Foreign Bible Society was organ¬ 
ized. “Since the present century began, versions in no fewer 
than 140 fresh tongues have been added to the Societies’ list. 
This list now embraces 517 languages and dialects.” In the 
year 1918-1919, notwithstanding the tremendous war expen¬ 
ditures, the Society reported an issue of no less than 


The Signs of the Times 


199 


“8,746,963 copies of the Scriptures.” In the Report of 
1919, there is this inspiring statement: “With the opening of 
the present year, which marks a new era for mankind, the 
Bible Society’s circulation, since it was founded in 1804, has 
reached the astonishing total of Three Hundred Million vol¬ 
umes—each volume being a Bible or a Testament, or at 
least one book of Holy Scripture. Looking backward, the 
Society can surely thank God and take courage to look for¬ 
ward.” 

“Since August, 1914, the Society has distributed in its 
war service alone considerably more than 9,000,000 volumes, 
in over eighty different languages; more than half of these 
books have been in English.” The colporteur is to be found 
the world over—on the banks of the Amazon as well as on 
the banks of the Mississippi. Also, the Auxiliaries are every¬ 
where. “At the end of March, 1919, the Society had 5,202 
Auxiliaries, Branches and Associations in England and 
Wales.” The income of the Society is about $1,500,000 a 
year. 

Through its colporteurs a vast evangelistic work is being 
done. In Japan last year an old man said to our colporteur: 
“Sometime ago my son bought from you a copy of the New 
Testament. He has been reading it diligently, morning and 
evening, ever since. To my great surprise, he has given up 
his dissolute habits and is a changed man. Your book has 
worked a miracle in my family.” “Through his testimony 
the colporteur sold in that village the same day nearly fifty 
books.” 


The American Bible Society 

It was founded in the city of New York in 1816. Its 
one hundred and third Annual Report gives an account of 
wonderful progress during the last one hundred years. “The 
report shows a total issue during the year 1918 of 6,040,707 
volumes, composed of 235,780 Bibles, 2,423,722 Testaments, 
and 3,381,205 portions.” “The total issues of the Society in 
the one hundred and three years of its service have been 
one hundred and thirty-four million, one hundred and fifty- 
one thousand, six hundred and thirty (134,151,630) vol¬ 
umes.” Of these, nearly 90,000,000 copies were circulated 



200 


The World Program 


in our own country. During the late war the Society gave 
the soldiers and sailors “13,421 Bibles, 2,545,600 Testa¬ 
ments, 1,982,434 portions, or a total of 4,541,455 volumes.” 
“Combining the issues at home (4,541,455) and abroad 
(1,846,488), so far recorded for the period from August, 
1914, to December 31, 1918, the Society has furnished 
6,387,943 copies of Scriptures in this war service.” 

There are also the constant activities of the secretaries in 
the nine agency areas into which the country is divided. 
Moreover, there are foreign secretaries with headquarters in 
the following places: West Indies, Mexico, Panama Canal 
and Central America, La Plata, Brazil, Levant, Siam, China, 
Japan, Korea, and the Philippine Islands. 

The Society is further aided by colporteurs, correspon¬ 
dents, and volunteer workers. These make a force of 1,614 
persons. 

The yearly income must be about $1,000,000. This with¬ 
out doubt must be one of the best expenditures in all 
Christendom for the enlightenment of the world. It is this 
inspired Word of God that makes men free and intelligent, 
and gives the state normal citizens and the church spiritu¬ 
ally minded members. 

This Society issues the Holy Scriptures in over ninety 
languages and dialects. The printing of the Bible in so 
many languages requires much mental labor. In this service 
Christian scholarship has made fine contributions to the 
highest intellectual and spiritual interests of the Kingdom of 
God. But this so-called higher criticism with its “pride of 
learning” and pompous pretensions of superiority, has be¬ 
clouded, rather than illuminated, the Sacred Page. These 
blind guides only lead the people into the ditches of doubt 
and error. 

Mention should be made of the numberless auxiliary 
Bible Societies that are scattered all over the continent of 
North America. Each Society works and contributes to the 
blessed cause of Bible distribution among the people. 

When one thinks of the vast extent and influence of these 
National Bible Societies and that these organizations have 


The Signs of the Times 


201 


been in existence only about one century, one is led to ex¬ 
claim : “This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our 
eyes.”—Matt. 21:42. 

The Hibernian Bible Society 

It was originally known as the Dublin Bible Society, and 
“was founded in 1806, and with it were federated kindred 
Irish associations formed at Cork, Belfast, Derry, etc. This 
Society, whose centenary was celebrated in 1906, had then 
issued a total of 5,713,837 copies.” It also “sends an annual 
subsidy to aid the foreign work of the British and Foreign 
Bible Society.” 

The National Bible Society of Scotland 

In 1809 a Bible Society was organized at Edinburgh and 
in 1812 another was organized at Glasgow. “The issues of 
the National Society for the year 1918 were 38,300 Bibles, 
233,231 Testaments, and 2,527,579 portions—making a total 
of 2,799,110 copies of the Scriptures. The issues of 1917 
amounted to 3,738,413 copies. Of the total circulation last 
year, 1,466,230 books were distributed in China. During 
the period of the war, over 5,054,600 copies have been 
placed in the hands of our soldiers, their allies, and peoples 
in the war zone.” “The total issues from 1861 to 1916 were 
26,106,265 volumes.” The Annual Report of the Society 
for 1919 says that “the expenditure last year was £34,510.” 

When one thinks of the world-wide influences of these 
Bible Societies and remembers that these organizations have 
been in existence only about a century, one is led to praise 
God and exclaim, “The law of the Lord is perfect, convert¬ 
ing the soul.”—Ps. 19:7. 

THE Y. M. C. A. 

In 1844, in London, England, George Williams, whom 
the world can never forget, founded the Young Men’s Chris¬ 
tian Association. Then, in 1857, was started the Young 
Women’s Christian Association. These benign organizations 
are being established in all great cities. Their halls invite 
the homeless and friendless, and under their hospitable roofs 


202 


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the stranger finds exercise for body, instruction for mind, 
and Christian sympathy and encouragement for the better 
life. Here various kinds of training are associated with 
prayer, Bible reading, and genial sociability. Temporal and 
spiritual interests are kindly blended together, for brother¬ 
hood and sisterhood ideas have a large place in these insti¬ 
tutions. Well may all Christian denominations render hearty 
support to this most beneficent movement to save the youth 
of the nations from the follies and vices of city life. Fur¬ 
ther, these associations reach out a helping hand to the desti¬ 
tute and distressed. It is a matter of special gratification 
that our beautiful city of Los Angeles is taking such a deep 
interest in this great and good work, and has one of the finest 
and best equipped Y. M. C. A. buildings in the world. Also, 
great credit is due the ladies of Los Angeles for their fine 
Y. W. C. A. building undertaking and educational work. 
Such institutions are an honor to our state, are monuments 
of holy zeal and large liberality, and are fountains of richest 
blessing to the rising generation. 

The Y. M. C. A. rendered important service in the late 
war. Unfortunately, however, in the sore need of workers, 
some unworthy persons of no religion or of a false religion, 
must have secured positions for no good purpose, and be¬ 
trayed the cause they pretended to serve. Consequently, 
these unprincipled men brought reproach upon the good 
name of one of the most beneficent Christian organizations 
of modern times. 

Christians must avoid, if possible, undesirable affiliations. 
Only truly Christian people can be trusted with funds in 
times of great crises like the late war. 

But the great Y. M. C. A. will soon purge itself of un¬ 
desirable elements and affiliations, and will regain its original 
purity and strength for its manifold ministries of good to 
the youth of all nations. It bears unmistakable testimony 
that the world is moving upward towards universal truth and 
righteousness among men. Since its organization in 1844 in 
London, it has accomplished wonders. During the last sev¬ 
enty years it has aided thousands upon thousands of young 
men. Some time ago its membership was 1,330,532 and 


The Signs of the Times 


203 


its property valued at $120,540,049. Well may the churches 
invoke the divine blessing upon the Y. M. C. A.; for in its 
various material, moral, and Christian activities, it ministers 
to the higher interests of the world’s young manhood, and its 
marvelous success gives large promises of the ultimate and 
universal triumph of our holy Christianity. 

The Salvation Army 

It was in 1865 that Rev. William Booth “commenced Mis¬ 
sion Work in East London,” where the “Christian Mission” 
was founded and “First Headquarters opened in White¬ 
chapel Road, London.” Then on Christmas, 1877, “the name 
of the Christian Mission” was “altered to, The Salvation 
Army, and the Rev. W. Booth assumed the title of General.” 

This Christian Crusade has directed powerful artillery 
against the very citadels of sin in their most hideous forms. 
General Booth feared not to warn the wicked of the wrath of 
God. He told men and women of sin’s sorrows and shames, 
and of the eternal damnation of the finally impentinent. On 
the one hand he faithfully described the wretchedness of 
Satan’s service in time and eternity, and on the other the joys 
of salvation and the glories of Heaven. His brave soldiers 
speak of Blood and Fire—the all-atoning Blood of Jesus and 
the Baptism of fire by the Spirit of God. They also lay em¬ 
phasis on “Holiness to the Lord,” and preach the whole Gos¬ 
pel. Far and near the General has gone proclaiming a free, 
a full, and a present salvation. His voice, doubtless, has 
been heard by more human beings than the voice of any 
other man. Most reverent mention must be made of his 
sainted wife, Mrs. Booth, a woman of remarkable piety and 
ability. This “elect lady” contributed most efficiently to the 
literature of the Army. She knew how to write on such im¬ 
portant and difficult subjects as holiness and entire sanctifi¬ 
cation. 

The Army is carrying on extensive operations, and has 
branched out into many beneficent ministries. It has what 
are called “Widows’ Counsellors” who look after the tem¬ 
poral and spiritual welfare of widows and their children. 
This is a recent and helpful development of Christianity. 


204 


The World Program 


How often in our country a widow is literally robbed by pro¬ 
moters of various schemes! This kind of robbery has really 
become notorious. 

The Army has numerous medical enterprises. Their 
leper hospitals are truly places of salvation, where these 
lonely outcasts are brought into fellowship with the true 
lovers of mankind. These poor sufferers are also lovingly led 
into the Presence of the Great Physician who said to the 
leper that appealed to Him for healing, “I will, be thou 
clean.” In the saddest of earth’s deepest sorrows are often 
found the sweetest and most joyous ministries of divine 
grace. The Salvation Army, like their loving Lord, loves the 
lepers. 

Their maternity hospitals are wonderful blessings to the 
poor, and to unfortunate ones that have been lured astray 
and find themselves homeless and friendless—to them this 
door of mercy is open and the needed ministries are graciously 
given. Also, within these walls the Blessed Lord is pre¬ 
sented, and many a weeping penitent after receiving cleansing 
in the precious blood would gladly wash her Saviour’s feet 
with her tears, wipe them with the locks of her hair, and 
anoint them with most precious ointment. This Rescue 
Home work is a most beautiful example of sister love for the 
fallen. Mrs. Booth, the wife of the general, was a “mother 
in Israel” to hundreds of unfortunates whom she helped to 
rescue from the slums. No doubt she directed many a broken 
hearted girl to the story of Mary Magdalene out of whom 
the Saviour cast seven devils, and who loved much because 
she had been forgiven much. 

The Army attends to Child Welfare, maintains Children’s 
Homes, Mothers’ and Children’s Homes, Women’s and Girls’ 
Hotels, Shelters and Metropoles for the unfortunate, social 
work of various kinds for men and women, Public Food 
Kitchens, Labor Bureaus to aid the unemployed, the poor 
man’s lawyer, etc. They attend to life insurance, and have 
a fire insurance department. They care for the ex-convict, 
and when, without money, or friends, or employment, he 
comes out of prison, they meet him with kind words, give 


The Signs of the Times 


205 


him work and food and shelter, and graciously offer him sal¬ 
vation in the name of the Lord. Their alliteration— “soap, 
soup, and salvation ”—might almost be called a panacea for 
this wicked world’s woes. 

The Army has about twenty-eight divisions in England, 
five in Scotland, two in Ireland, and in these United States 
they have extensive organizations. The Salvationists are 
doing blessed work in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, 
in India, Ceylon and the British West Indies, in Sweden, 
Norway, Holland and Denmark, in France, Germany and 
Russia, in Italy and Switzerland, in Africa and South Amer¬ 
ica, and in Japan, Korea and China. It is carrying on benefi¬ 
cent and generous activities in about eighty nationalities and 
is adapting its work to every variety of human need the 
world over. All can see what God has wrought through 
General Booth, his noble wife, his family, and his followers 
in about fifty years. All honor to this many-sided, philan¬ 
thropic and evangelistic organization, and may it mightily 
grow and prosper in waging a holy war on sin, death, and 
hell! 

The Salvation Army most assuredly won golden opinions 
for itself during the late war, as the following letters will 
show: 

“Hon Sir. Arthur Stanley, M. P., 

“To General Booth. December 22, 1917. 

“With the new Salvation Army Motor Ambulance Unit, 
I am indeed glad to know you are also providing another 
twenty drivers for service with our Ambulance Fleet in 
France. This is most welcome news, as wherever Salvation 
Army men are helping we hear nothing but good reports of 
their work. Sir Ernest Clarke tells me that your Ambulance 
Sections in France are quite the best of any in our service.” 
—S. A. Year Book, p. 94. 

It gives me special pleasure to add the testimony of Sir 
Charles A. Hanson, Bart., who was recently Lord Mayor 
of London, England, who was my pastor for a time in the 
Stanstead Methodist Church, in the Province of Quebec, 
Canada, and who was also a fellow trustee of the Stanstead 


206 


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Wesleyan College. From the Salvation Army Year Book is 
copied the following letter from Sir Charles to the S. A. 
authorities: 

‘‘The Right Hon. The Lord Mayor of London, 

“Sir Charles A. Hanson, Bart. 

“.I am glad that the City of London con¬ 

tains the Headquarters of your great and famous Organiza¬ 
tion, and that the Corporation and the various Lord Mayors 
*—past and present—have recognized and assisted in many 
of their interesting and beneficent schemes for the well¬ 
being of the community.” 

Our returned soldiers are loud in their praises of the Sal¬ 
vationists. Inspired with the holy zeal and courage, these 
soldiers of the cross —men and women —braved death in all 
its horrors, pushed their way into the very trenches, served 
food and coffee to our heroic boys in the direst moments 
of agonizing conflict. These messengers of mercy and salva¬ 
tion were on hand to give first aid to the wounded, and to 
assist them to the rear. They stayed by the dying, took last 
messages, quoted precious promises from God’s Holy Word, 
offered prevailing prayer, and pointed many precious souls to 
the “Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.” 
—Jno. 1:29. They made sacred and peaceful the last mo¬ 
ments of many a brave boy, putting the cup of salvation to 
his parched lips as he passed triumphantly into eternity. 
Never since time began were dying soldiers so well and lov¬ 
ingly cared for as in the late war. These heroic evangelists 
marched right up into the war zone to minister in holy 
things to the wounded and dying. Truly the Church of God 
is moving forward unto world conquest. 

THE WOMEN’S MISSIONARY SOCIETIES OF THE 
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH 

Their Foreign Society 

The unprecedented development of missionary zeal has 
in it the assurance of world-wide conquest. “The zvorld for 
Christ” is now on many banners. 


The Signs of the Times 


207 


The Women’s Foreign Missionary Society of our Church 
was founded in 1869 with only eight members. At present 
it has an enrollment of over 1,500,000, and is doing a most 
blessed work in thirteen countries. According to the Report 
of its Fifty-first Annual Meeting, “The receipts for the year 
are $2,000,631.12, a gain in regular income of $135,232.56.” 
Its various publications are of a high order. Its printed 
pages are for “The healing of the nations.” Its blessed 
zanana work is most beneficently transforming the family 
and social life of ancient India. Especially those accom¬ 
plished Christian women that possess both the Spirit of Christ 
and a medical education, are able therefore to minister to 
both diseased bodies and to sin-sick souls. These angels 
of mercy are doing wonders for their benighted sisters in 
lifting them out of seclusion and suffering, ignorance and 
ignominy, and in giving the daughter and the mother rightful 
rank and influence in the home, in society, in the church and 
in the state. 

Matthew Arnold has well said: “If anybody will show 
me ten square miles of earth where Christianity does not 
hold sway and where man’s life is safe and woman’s virtue 
respected, then I will give up Christianity.” 

Their Home Society 

In like manner the Women’s Home Missionary Society 
is rendering most valuable service, in our own country, to 
destitute foreigners that are living in poverty and wicked¬ 
ness in the congested quarters of our large cities. The piti¬ 
ful condition of women and children that come to our shores 
from lands of darkness and oppression, appeals to the tender 
mother heart of America. Moreover, the extension of the 
franchise to women is creating a double reason and inspira¬ 
tion for loving ministries to the financially and spiritually des¬ 
titute sisters that seek a home in this land of plenty and 
freedom. No doubt our American women are realizing the 
tremendous necessity for educating and elevating and enlight¬ 
ening and evangelizing these new citizens that they may not 
become a menace to our free institutions. 


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It is well worthy of mention that these two Societies have 
manifested rare business ability in having collected and 
wisely administered nearly $20,000,000 in rescuing heathen 
women from deep despair and unutterable degradation. Re¬ 
member, also, that the growth of these organizations has been 
phenomenal and that their object is to rescue the Family, 
God’s divinely instituted unit of the nation, from a horrible 
pit of shameful sins. 

Our General Missionary Society 

Its first Annual Report, made in 1819, showed an income 
of $823.14; but its ninety-ninth report showed an income of 
$3,260,066.91. This amount includes the receipts of the 
Foreign and Home Societies and the Church Extension. 
Thus in 100 years the income of these organizations has 
become about 400 times as much as that of the first year. 

Let it be noted that this Great Missionary Society, which 
has just closed the first Centenary of its existence, had an 
humble origin which is shown by the following quotation 
from a Centenary Leaflet. 

“Over one hundred years ago, in the spring of 1816, a 
consumptive Negro started a world movement. The negro’s 
name was John Stewart; the world movement is Methodist 
Missions. 

“That humble Negro, enslaved to alcohol, happened to 
be passing the Methodist church at Marietta, Ohio, where 
Marcus Lindsay was preaching. He was won by Lindsay’s 
warm invitation, entered, and was soundly converted. 

“Soon after he heard a voice calling him to the North¬ 
west. Obedient unto the vision, yet not knowing what lay 
before him, he left Marietta, walking northwest until he came 
to the Delaware Indians. 

“The story of his ministry to the Delaware and Wyan¬ 
dotte Indians is the story of our first Methodist missionary 
—a home missionary. John Stewart’s work was soon re¬ 
warded with official sanction, and helpers and money were 
sent to his aid. 


The Signs of the Times 


209 


“Stimulated by the success of this enterprise, Methodism 
founded her Missionary Society just three years later, in 
1819. For twelve years the energies of the new-born society 
were monopolized by the rapidly growing Church in North 
America; but in 1831 Melville Cox sailed to Africa, the first 
Methodist foreign missionary.” 

When one considers what God has wrought during the 
last century and considers the present unprecedented activity 
of Christendom for the regeneration of humanity, one is 
logically compelled to believe that the Gospel, accompanied 
by the influence of the Holy Spirit, is bringing this lost world 
back to the feet of its crucified Saviour and Lord. 

JAPAN 

In 1873, our Church under Dr. Robert Samuel Maclay, 
who, in 1847, aided in founding our Mission in China, en¬ 
tered the Empire of Japan. Also, Dr. Maclay was instru¬ 
mental in opening Korea for Protestant missionaries. In 
the same year—1873—Dr. George Cochran was sent out by 
the Methodist Church of Canada to begin work in the “Land 
of the Rising Sun.” Then followed the Methodist Church 
South. But the Protestant Episcopal Church has the honor 
of being the first to enter the open door after Commodore 
Perry in 1854 succeeded in negotiating a treaty with the 
Mikado. In course of time other denominations established 
their stations, and all have enjoyed wonderful success in 
their good work. Truly marvelous changes have taken place 
in the last fifty years. This mentally alert nation is examin¬ 
ing the Inspired Volume and is appreciating its truth, beauty 
and value to all nations, as The Wonderful, Universal Book. 
Today the empire is more or less permeated with Christian 
influences. Some have thought that before long, Japan 
would be a Christian nation. However, in a generation this 
enterprising people, by contact with Christian civilization, has 
arisen to a high rank in cosmopolitan affairs. Already this 
Island Empire has found fellowship with the most enlight¬ 
ened peoples, and has become renowned as a world-power. 
May Japan continue to open her heart and mind to the celes- 


210 


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tial light that comes from the “Sun of Righteousness,” who 
is assuredly rising “with healing in his wings” on this our 
nearest trans-Pacific neighbor ! “The Lord reigneth; let the 
earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad.”—Ps. 97:1. 

During her war with Russia, Japan made a profound im¬ 
pression upon the world. Her generals and soldiers, her 
admirals and sailors won highest distinction on land and sea 
for their rare ability and indomitable courage. Their virility 
and patriotism, which were always displayed by every arm 
of service, were subjects of universal admiration. For four 
years as professor of the English language and literature, I 
had the rare honor of serving under the Imperial Household 
in the Gakushuin, which is the Nobles’ College. Of that 
service I have only pleasant memories. The class-room order 
was uniformly excellent, and the gentlemanly deportment of 
students and professors in classrooms and in sports on the 
campus, was always most friendly and courteous. It gives 
me unusual pleasure to state that Japanese students take 
high rank for studious habits and mental ability. I can 
never cease to think of Japan most gratefully and respect¬ 
fully. They abounded in liberality as well as in gracious 
courtesies towards me and my family. 

One may fondly hope that illustrious Japan will continue 
to take her place with the great Christian nations. Unfortu¬ 
nately, Germany, led by wicked war-lords into a Christless 
civilization, went headlong to her own destruction. At 
present the world needs a Christian civilization, founded on 
the Golden Rule: “All things whatsoever ye would that men 
should do to you, do ye even so to them.”—Matt. 7:12; and 
founded on the command of the Divine Teacher: “Thou 
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all 
thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind.” 
—Luke 10 :27. In beautiful Japan may Heaven-born Christi¬ 
anity be the inspiration of her wonderful national life! The 
nations are beginning to realize that in the Holy Scriptures 
we have Heaven’s blessed message of divine love for hu¬ 
manity. 


The Signs of the Times 


211 


KOREA 

In this “Hermit Kingdom,” during the last few decades, 
changes of the highest significance have taken place. Spirit¬ 
ually speaking it has been translated from heathen darkness 
into the marvellous light of the Kingdom of God. The Holy 
Spirit has been poured out and Pentecostal Revival Services 
have been attended by multitudes seeking salvation through 
the Precious Blood of our Crucified Redeemer. This pictur¬ 
esque land of “superb” climatic conditions—this land of the 
“Morning Calm”—is opening wide her gates to receive the 
“Prince of Peace.” The contemplative Korean will dwell in¬ 
tellectually, it is expected, in the higher realms of reverent 
and devout theological thought. Also, it is hoped, that this 
studious nation will make the transition direct from the 
gloomy barbarisms of heathenism to the blessed enjoyment 
of Christianity without wandering through the barren wastes 
of irrational and animalizing agnosticism. “Shall the earth 
be made to bring forth in one day ? or shall a nation be born 
at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth 
her children.”—Is. 66:8. 


CHINA 

One of her national proverbs is this: “The men of the 
Four Seas are all brothers.” “Filial piety, according to the 
teachings of Confucius, is the very foundation of society; the 
nation itself is but one great family.” The following is 
called his golden rule: “What you do not like when done to 
yourself, do not do to others.” But this is merely negative, 
while the golden rule of our Blessed Lord is positive and 
enjoins a far wider range of benevolence and obligation. The 
Saviour commanded: “All things whatsoever ye would that 
men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the 
law and the prophets.”—Matt. 7:12. This is a vastly more 
comprehensive statement. “Never man spake like this Man.” 
—Jno. 7:46. Nevertheless Confucius like Socrates is one of 
the most illustrious ethical teachers of heathenism. In one 
respect American and European ladies might well imitate 


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their Chinese sisters. “No Chinese woman ever bares any 
part of her body in public—and the evening dress of Euro¬ 
pean ladies is considered indelicate.” 

But in China the position of woman is one of distinct in¬ 
feriority; a woman is always subject to the men of the 
family.” She must obey father, husband and even her own 
sons. These are “the three obediences.” Further, “polygamy 
is tolerated” and “a wife may be divorced for any one of 
seven reasons.” Sad to say, sometimes the Chinese mother 
by wretched poverty is compelled to give up her little baby 
girl to starvation and death. Great China needs and is 
asking for our Holy Christianity. 

In 1807, Robert Morrison founded Protestant Missions 
in China, and began the immense undertaking of evangelizing 
that vast empire; and lo! today 450,000,000 of immortal 
beings are waking up from the long slumber of centuries, are 
putting away hoary superstitions and barbaric customs, are 
reaching out after reforms both civil and religious, and are 
forsaking the Joss house for the Christian sanctuary. “For 
mine House shall be called an House of Prayer for all peo¬ 
ple.”—Is. 56:7. Unprecedented transformations are going 
on in the “Flowery Kingdom.” Highly significant changes 
are made in the educational and military systems, in social 
and governmental affairs. The whole body politic and eccle¬ 
siastic is on the move towards higher ideals. Among the stu¬ 
pendous reforms must be mentioned the recent imperial 
decrees against opium, which began to threaten the very ex¬ 
istence of China’s manhood. Who can estimate the impor¬ 
tance of this law which means the redemption and salvation 
of millions of men ! “This is the Lord’s doing; and it is mar¬ 
vellous in our eyes.”—Ps. 118:23. Also, untold happiness 
has come to many millions of women and girls who are being 
saved from the cruel foot-binding which has been China’s 
torture for long centuries. Is it not wonderful that China 
is cutting off her queue, retiring her emperor, freeing herself 
from heavy superstitions, and proclaiming herself a Repub¬ 
lic? Moreover, these stupendous reforms are almost instan¬ 
taneous and bloodless. Truly, the Lord has blessed the 
work of Protestant missionaries and statesmen. This hour 


The Signs of the Times 


213 


millions of Celestials are looking with longing eyes to the 
Saviour as the civil and religious Liberator of their great 
nation. Let the Dragon and the Crescent go down before 
the Cross of Christ. The Kingdom of Heaven has come 
to the “Middle Kingdom,” and now let Confucius with his 
insufficient ethics stand aside, while “the Son of Man” makes 
known the Revelation of the true God and lifts teeming mul¬ 
titudes into higher and happier realms of being. Isaiah 
(49:12) had a vision of China’s return to the Lord: “Be¬ 
hold these shall come from far: and lo, these from the north 
and west; and these from the land of Sinim”—the land of 
the Chinese. Happy thought—China has her blessed proph¬ 
ecy in the Word of God. 


INDIA 

In 1793, the apostolic William Carey, a Baptist mission¬ 
ary of precious memory, took the Gospel to India, and today 
multitudes in that pessimistic and pantheistic land of atheistic 
Buddhism, are receiving Christian baptism, are being trans¬ 
lated out of “the kingdom of darkness” into the kingdom of 
God’s Dear Son, and are giving thanks unto the Father who 
hath made them meet to be “partakers of the inheritance of 
the saints in light.” India, the “land of multitudes,” where 
about 350,000,000 of people live, the “land of illiteracy, 
ninety per cent of the people being unable to read and write,” 
the land of “more than 3,000 castes and subcastes whose 
members cannot eat together or intermarry, the land of 
60,000,000 outcasts who are forbidden to enter the temples 
or to speak the name of any of India’s thirty million gods” 
—now* these famished and deluded peoples are waking from 
a long and dreadful night of heathen darkness and wretched¬ 
ness. “For the dark places of the earth are full of the habi¬ 
tations of cruelty.”—Ps. 74:20. But now infanticide and 
the untold sorrows of widowhood are passing away. For the 
kind hearted missionaries love children and care for them 
and plead the cause of the widow and save her from the 
burning funeral pyre. The dense darkness of cruel heathen¬ 
ism is breaking away, and the multitudes are seeing the morn¬ 
ing beams of a “Great Light”—“a light to lighten the Gen- 


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tiles and the glory of thy people, Israel.”—Luke 2:32. Cruel 
and selfish caste is breaking down according to the prophecy: 
“Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain shall be 
brought low. . . . And the glory of the Lord shall be 
revealed and all flesh shall see it together.”—Is. 40:4, 5. 
Thus the kingdom of Heaven is extending its ever widening 
boundaries, and the land of Buddha is listening to the soul- 
inspiring melodies of Zion. 

AFRICA 

A few years ago the geography of the moon was better 
known than that of the “Dark Continent.” But under the 
colonizing policy of Great Britain, numberless reforms and 
improvements are in progress. A six-thousand mile rail¬ 
road, from Cairo to the Cape of Good Hope, when com¬ 
pleted, will open up salubrious table lands at the head waters 
of the Nile, the Congo, and the Zambesi. This road will take 
our Christian civilization into the very heart of that vast 
continent. Well might the sainted Moffat, Livingston, and 
Taylor—our missionary bishop—rejoice. Already the an¬ 
cient home of slavery is hearing Christian songs of emancipa¬ 
tion, and over its extensive area, which is nearly four times 
that of these United States, there will soon be established 
centers of mental and moral, educational and spiritual en¬ 
lightenment, which will bestow upon the long neglected land 
of Ham all Gospel blessings. Instead of the savage beast and 
the savage man, there will be a regenerated humanity, out 
of which the evil spirits have been cast. This new man 
clothed, in his right mind, and sitting at the feet of Jesus, 
will yet bestow upon his native land eras of prosperity and 
splendour far surpassing those of the Pharaohs. Then will 
sanctified song pour forth its sweetest melodies and eloquence 
take its finest flights into the realms of heavenly truth and 
speculation. No longer will be heard the harsh sounds of 
cruel lash and clanking chain, and the profane speech of 
tyranny; for the thousand-year Jubilee is coming. Then all 
men will be free in the liberty wherewith God makes his 
children free. This Gospel is for the world and will yet give 
happy centuries to oppressed Africa, whose redeemed sons 



The Signs of the Times 


215 


and daughters in the good time coming, will render pre-emi¬ 
nent and sanctified service to the Kingdom of God. “Princes 
shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her 
hands unto God.”—Ps. 68:31. Here the royal Psalmist pre¬ 
dicts wonderful things for the land of Ham. Indeed, this 
should be called Africa’s Psalm, for it tells us that “the sing¬ 
ers went before.”—v. 25. 

YOUNG PEOPLE’S SOCIETIES 

In this discussion the recent Christian organizations of 
young people in the various Protestant Churches, have spe¬ 
cial significance. Even youth recently has had a vision of 
the world’s regeneration through the atoning blood of Christ 
and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Sunday Schools are 
providing hosts of recruits ready to join the forces of good 
against evil. The young people of the large Baptist Com¬ 
munions are girding themselves for the Holy War. The 
Christian Endeavorers led by “Father” Clark are the hope 
of Presbyterianism and Congregationalism. Our legions of 
Epworth Leaguers, rejoicing in the Captain of their salvation, 
are longing to march to the ends of the earth for the exten¬ 
sion of Zion’s boundaries. This enlisting of the rising gen¬ 
eration for Christian work, is the hope of the Church and 
the world. Do you not hear the tread of the oncoming mil¬ 
lions marching to Zion ? Listen to their clear, strong voices 
chanting that grand old hymn of the centuries, the Te Deum — 

“We praise Thee, O God; we acknowledge Thee to be the Lord, 
All the earth doth worship Thee the Father everlasting.” 

«i» 

^ 

“The glorious company of the Apostles praise Thee. 

The goodly fellowship of the Prophets praise Thee. 

The noble army of martyrs praise Thee.” 

^ ^ 

“When Thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death, 

Thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers.” 

As the Captain of the hosts of Jehovah gives the forward 
command, what joyous Hallelujahs ascend to Heaven from 
the clear voices of the consecrated youth of Christendom! 
Then the Church militant, “fair as the moon, clear as the sun 
and terrible as an army with banners,” advances on the fear- 


216 


The World Program 


stricken hordes of evil, and there are breaks in the demon- 
possessed ranks of Satan. Multitudes are waking to right¬ 
eousness and believing in the name of our Risen Lord. The 
rising generation is receiving the missionary spirit according 
to the prediction of both prophet and apostle: “Your sons 
and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men 
shall see visions.”—Acts 2:17. This is one of the most en¬ 
couraging and inspiring signs of the times. The Spirit is 
resting on the youth of Christendom, and there is hope for 
fallen humanity. “Where sin abounded, grace did much 
more abound.”—Rom. 5 :20. 

Then fresh in our memory is that notable assembly which 
met recently in the classic city of Edinburgh, Scotland. This 
Laymen’s Missionary Movement gives large promise of good 
to the race. All must feel the inspiration of their watch¬ 
word : “The World for Christ in this Generation.” Evi¬ 
dently the laymen have faith in Christianity, and believe in its 
ultimate and universal triumph. All should join the lineal 
descendants of the pious and brave Covenanters in their in¬ 
spiring declaration: “There is an advance movement along 
the whole line of the Sacramental host of God’s elect.” 

“And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon 
His Name, declare His doings among the people, make men¬ 
tion that His Name is exalted. Sing unto the Lord: for He 
hath done excellent things: This is known in all the earth. 
Cry out and shout thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the 
Holy One of Israel in the midst of Thee.”—Is. 12:4-6. 

Justice and honesty as well as religion are prevailing 
among men. Even legislative assemblies are feeling the in¬ 
fluence of a normal public sentiment. God-fearing men, 
whose faces are set like a flint against all unrighteousness, are 
directing affairs in the high places of trust and responsibility, 
while unjust judges, soulless corporations, extortionate finan¬ 
ciers and cruel oppressors in both Church and State, are sub¬ 
jected to searching investigations. The moral sense of large 
cities is waking up and honest men, that are a terror to evil¬ 
doers, are defending the rights of the people. Today of the 
Christian Church it can be said: “Kings shall be thy nursing 
fathers, and queens thy nursing mothers.”—Is. 49:23. 


217 


The Signs of the Times 

THE LATE WORLD WAR 

When we look back over the dire calamities of the last 
few years and consider the origin of the appalling destruc¬ 
tion of human life and property, and the composition and 
character of the opposing Powers, it is evident that the world 
was profoundly agitated over the vast material and moral, 
social and spiritual interests that were at stake. Let us in 
the first place consider what the Central Powers represented. 

GERMANY 

It must be acknowledged that recently the German preach¬ 
ers in the Churches and the professors in the colleges have 
most shamefully pandered to imperialism, and have betrayed 
the truth in both theology and philosophy. Judas Iscariots 
stood in the pulpits and Balaams taught in the halls of learn¬ 
ing, while war-lords and land-lords drove the nation mad 
with lust of power and wealth. They fostered hellish hate 
for neighbors and godless greed for large estates; and in a 
demon-like craze for power and pre-eminence, they plunged 
Germany into a bottomless abyss of infidelity and carnage. 
The slanderers of the Virgin Mary and the blasphemers of 
“the Holy Child Jesus,” were many, and dense clouds of 
Unitarian darkness and papal ignorance enshrouded the peo¬ 
ple. They were told that the Scriptures were not specially 
inspired and that they must be regarded as a patch-work; 
that is, the work of forgers and plagiarists. The Almighty at 
best, they taught, was an absentee Ruler and a very far away 
Creator. Sad to say, the land of the great Luther and of 
the blessed Reformation, thus fell into blatant and ignorant 
Agnosticism, and its rulers became the swaggering and lech¬ 
erous marauders of the race. They were so inflamed with 
fiendish passions that they perpetrated darkest deeds of 
cruelty and vileness. It seems that the false-hearted Kaiser 
was transformed by an evil spirit of dementia into a hating 
and hateful emissary of the lower world. 

AUSTRIA 

Now consider the condition of Austria. That ancient and 
proud House of Hapsburg was rotten to the core, and the 


218 


The World Program 


nation was the blind and fanatical dupe of the vicar of Satan, 
who was seated in pontifical splendour upon the seven hills 
of the Eternal City. Austria, once called the Holy Roman 
Empire, has for long centuries been the benighted slave of 
“The Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth.”— 
Rev. 17:5. During the Dark Ages this Papal nation made 
herself “drunken with the blood of the saints and with the 
blood of the martyrs of Jesus.”—Rev. 17:6. This bigoted 
and bloody executive of the ferocious Papacy had stained 
her unhallowed soil with the blood of millions of martyrs. 
For the recent outrages on humanity, Austria had been fully 
prepared—fully demonized by a vile priesthood. For centu¬ 
ries she has been a zealous patron of fiendish Papal propa¬ 
ganda, and, consequently, the college of cardinals generally 
has paid special deference to her wishes in the election of 
Popes. It was proud, wicked, and corrupt Austria that 
represented “the man of sin” in the recent war. 

TURKEY 

Then there was Turkey. In 1453, Constantinople was 
captured by Mohammed II, the Great, Sultan of the Otto¬ 
mans. At that time the Cross which, for over 1,000 years 
“had surmounted the dome of St. Sophia was replaced by 
the Crescent, which remains to this day.” We believe it 
will come down in due time. Thus for nearly five centuries 
the “intolerable Turk” has been a dominating disgrace in 
Europe. He is a vile polygamist, and is, therefore, an enemy 
to the unity, sanctity, and happiness of the Home, which is 
God’s unit in the life of humanity—His unit created and con¬ 
secrated in the Garden of Eden. 

Moreover, this Turk, who is a polluter of the very foun¬ 
tains of our being is also a Unitarian. In this respect, he is 
especially the successor of the Saracen. In 622 A. D., Mo¬ 
hammed declaring that Christ was no greater than the patri¬ 
archs and prophets, and that he himself was greater than 
any of them, announced these two fundamental doctrines of 
Islamism: “There is no God save Allah” and “Mohammed 
is the Prophet of Allah.” Mohammedanism, from its begin- 


The Signs of the Times 


219 


rung in 622 A. D., to the taking of Constantinople in 1453 
was Saracenic; then from the latter date to the present time, 
it has been Turkish. This whole Mohammedan movement 
is nothing more nor less than a manifestation of the wicked 
world’s hatred and revolt against the Deity of our Lord and 
Saviour, who is the Son of God and the only Saviour of the 
world. These slanderers of the Blessed Virgin Mary and 
blasphemers of the “Holy Child Jesus” are the black hearted 
defamers of the Lord of life and glory. In what unsavory 
company our pedantic Unitarians of America find them¬ 
selves ! for it must be acknowledged that they are of the 
same theological species as the polygamous, Armenian-mur- 
dering Turks. Our respectable Unitarians may well squirm 
about being classed with their polygamous and execrable co¬ 
religionists. Is it not a universal fact that where the Son of 
God is denied, there woman is dishonored ? Christ is indeed 
the true and real Friend of woman. In subtle Unitarianism, 
Satan most adroitly manifests himself as “an angel of light.” 
Remember, then, that Unitarianism is one of Satan’s choice 
Churches. Let the Christian women of the English-speaking 
peoples free their enslaved sisters from the Unitarian, polyg¬ 
amous, “execrable Turk.” 

Now then, before us are the Anti-Christian Central Pow¬ 
ers with their awful heresies—“doctrines of devils.” Ger¬ 
many wallows in the “Mud-Philosophy” of Agnosticism, 
Austria is the slave and dupe of the vile Papacy, and Turkey 
is the betrayer of woman, the slanderer of the Blessed Virgin 
Mary, and the blasphemer of the “Holy Child Jesus.” These 
three nations with their abominable heresies and wicked 
rulers, represented the four leading forces of evil on this 
earth. Really, their monarchs were monsters of iniquity and 
drove their subjects into war and ruin. Austria, Germany, 
and Turkey were thoroughly dominated by the most perni¬ 
cious and tyrannical forms of imperialism in both Church 
and State. In the late war, Satan’s tools were the tyrants, 
and his chief forces were Romanism, Infidelity, Unitarian¬ 
ism, and Polygamy, and his purpose was to drive Liberty 
and Christianity from the face of the earth. 


220 


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THE BRITISH EMPIRE 

On the other side, the Allies fought for civil and religious 
liberty—fought for monogamy and Trinitarianism. The 
British Empire as well as our own favored land, with all their 
faults, must be regarded as Christian nations. The laws and 
institutions of all English-speaking peoples are based upon 
the beneficent and righteous principles laid down in the Holy 
Scriptures. Also, our country and the United Kingdom are 
the only truly missionary nations. They are almost alone 
in trying to spread the Blessed Gospel of our Lord among the 
less favored peoples of the earth. The British Empire is 
quite liberal towards Christianity. Also, in Scotland great 
attention is paid to religion, the young people are taught the 
Catechism, and the Lord’s Day is observed. The thirty-nine 
Articles of the English Church must be regarded as a re¬ 
markably fine presentation of the Christian Faith, her Prayer 
Book is one of the greatest documents ever produced by man, 
and the Ten Commandments are read constantly to the con¬ 
gregations. Great Britain, Canada, Australia, the North of 
Ireland, and all the British dominions promptly, faithfully, 
and valiantly stood like a wall of granite and saved the world 
for Liberty and Christianity. It was the Spirit of God in 
the heart that supplied the British armies in many parts of 
the world with men of might and valor. 

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

Our own country is thoroughly permeated with Christian 
sentiment. Infidelity and false beliefs are falling down into 
a well-merited oblivion. Also, we are inaugurating new eras 
for mankind. Our women have the suffrage and this will 
bring about blessings of untold happiness to millions of homes 
throughout the world. Our nation has won Prohibition and 
set an example that other countries must follow or fall behind 
in the forward march of Christian civilization. To the 
splendid influence of America must be credited, in a large 
measure, the dethronement of these mighty tyrannies. Where 
are the Kaiser ? the Emperor ? the Czar ? the Sultan ? Also, 


The Signs of the Times 


221 


America is setting a fine example in all philanthropies and 
Gospel propaganda to the other nations of the earth. This 
is a Christian country. 


FRANCE 

Concerning France, it must be remembered that she is 
the great Republic of the Eastern Hemisphere, and was to us 
a most generous and serviceable political friend in the dark 
days of our poverty and struggle for liberty. America can 
never forget the timely gifts of men and money— the loan 
without security —and the recognition of these colonies as a 
nation, in this way giving us all the rights of independent 
national existence. France kindly stood sponsor for us before 
the world. Recently the land of Lafayette has given her 
people religious liberation and has rescued her schools from 
ignorant, incompetent, and intolerable bigots—the monks and 
nuns. Further, in her great conflict with the unscrupulous 
Vatican, may the Concordat, a nation enslaving agreement, be 
abrogated and may La Belle France be freed from all rela¬ 
tions with the scandalous Papal hierarchy. The sad war of 
1870-71 greatly sobered and purified the French people, and 
developed wonderful patriotism and heroism. Her soldier 
of 1914-18 had all the ancient valour of his race. The de¬ 
fense of Verdun is one of the most notable events in world 
military affairs. All honor to her heroes of the Great War! 
Fortunately and properly, chivalrous France is diplomatically 
on the right side of the important world problems. May the 
pious planting of the godly Huguenots soon yield a rich har¬ 
vest in Gospel blessing in the beautiful land of Calvin the 
great Protestant Reformer! 

ITALY 

Likewise Italy, in 1871, under Count Cavour, Garibaldi, 
and Victor Emmanuel, abolished the temporal power of the 
popes, achieved both political and ecclesiastical emancipation 
for Rome and the Papal States, and then the United King¬ 
dom of Italy again took her old place among the great nations 
of the earth. Though most strenuous and determined ef- 


222 


The World Program 


forts were made by the Papacy to force her into the camp 
of the Central Powers, Italy, wisely and heroically following 
her moral intuitions, joined the Allies. This was a memor¬ 
able and righteous decision, and will ever add lustre to the 
fame of the ancient Roman Empire. Italy’s strategic posi¬ 
tion holding the keys of the Mediterranean situation, made 
her aid of incalculable value to the Allies. The historic land 
of the Caesars is coming out of the Dark Ages, and is look¬ 
ing heavenward to Him who is the “Light of the World.” 
May the Good Lord speedily deliver political Rome from 
Papal Romanism! 

Towards the end of the war our country happily joined 
the liberty-loving Powers. Though our entrance into the 
stupendous struggle was somewhat delayed, yet it was the 
cause of unbounded joy to all the noble-minded peoples of 
Christendom. There is a fine French proverb, Noblesse 
oblige —“Rank imposes obligation.” Our very greatness as a 
prominent world Power, as a nation that possesses in the 
highest degree an enlightened form of government and a 
Christian civilization—our very greatness demands that we 
should take part in all liberalizing movements for the de¬ 
thronement of tyrants, the deposing of lying priests, and the 
emancipation of all peoples that are under the iron heel of 
either monarchical or papal despotism. Therefore, never can 
America remain an indifferent spectator when monstrosities 
of wickedness march forth to rob and destroy inoffensive 
peoples. 

TPIE STUPENDOUS TRIUMPH OF THE ALLIES 

No other event in modern times has given such a sweep¬ 
ing and unanswerable demonstration to the fact that the 
world is getting better. All hell was in league with Infidelity, 
Romanism, Unitarianism, and Polygamy for the overthrow 
of truth and righteousness among men. The vile and godless 
forces of sin planned and arranged with infernal intent and 
skill to rob the race of liberty and Christianity. Yes, the 
tramp of Satan’s hosts, shaking the very earth and threaten¬ 
ing every continent and island, was heard around the world 
as they marched forth for slaughter and conquest. But 



The Signs of the Times 


223 


thanks be to the Most High, the armies and navies of the 
Allies held the legions of perdition in check at the English 
Channel and at the gates of Paris. 

Then after more than four years of unparalleled de¬ 
struction and bloodshed, during which battle lines stretched 
across whole kingdoms, and vast armies rushed against each 
other in deadly conflict, when millions upon millions were 
hurled into eternity—then the forces of evil, seeing nothing 
before them but impending and appalling disaster, sued for 
peace and unconditionally surrendered. Thus it has been 
clearly demonstrated in the eyes of all mankind that the lib¬ 
eralizing, moralizing, and Christianizing influences of the 
Church of our Blessed Lord and Saviour, are the paramount 
considerations on this globe. 

In the coming decades, we may expect Leagues of nations 
that will develop ultimately into a universal Federation of the 
World which will constitute a vast brotherhood of Christian 
fellowship, proving the unity of the race in Adam and Eve 
in the Garden of Eden. That will be the Golden Age of 
Millennial rest, the promised Sabbath of a thousand years. 
Then no perfidious princes or priests will devour the flock 
of Christ. Then the deceiver with his pious delusions, the 
unbeliever with his absurd negations, the un-sent prophet 
with his unscriptural predictions, and the religious fakir with 
his fallacious theories—all these will have passed away be¬ 
cause He who is “the Sun of Righteousness” has arisen 
“with healing in His wings” to dispel the darkness of sin 
and ignorance from the minds of men. The day is coming 
when this ransomed world will rejoice under the beneficent 
influence of the Holy Spirit, the Third Person in the Holy 
Trinity, and when “the Kingdoms of this world are become 
the Kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ; and He shall 
reign for ever and ever.”—Rev. 11 :15. 

PROHIBITION 

The tremendous triumphs of temperance legislation give 
abounding joy and confidence to all lovers of truth and 
righteousness. Truly the Lord has poured out His Holy 
Spirit upon our rulers. Let all Christian people give thanks 


224 


The World Program 


that forty-five out of the forty-eight States of our great 
Commonwealth, gave overwhelming majorities for destroying 
this accursed rum traffic. Only three little States failed to 
have compassion on the crazed drunkard’s weeping wife and 
crying children, and these States seem to have become in¬ 
creasingly insignificant. The total number of votes in the 
Senates of the forty-five States that carried the Eighteenth 
Amendment, was—for it 1,298, and against it only 213. Thus 
the senators—to their great credit—voted more than six to 
one in favor of sobriety and morality—in favor of home and 
happiness. The Dry Assemblies did not do quite so well. 
Their votes were—for the Amendment 3,737, and against it 
934. This gave just over four to one in favor of the Drys. 
This decisive victory of a purely moral interest over well- 
organized and powerful financial corporations, inaugurates 
a new era of progress and prosperity for these United States, 
and affords an unprecedented inspiration to all moral reforms 
the world over. Especially will the British Isles, France, 
Italy, Japan, and many other countries notice the benign in¬ 
fluences of our emancipation from the diabolical domina¬ 
tion of strong drink. 

For, from our fair land the saloon keepers and their dens 
of filth and blasphemy are gone, but preachers and school 
teachers are in demand. While the prisons and lunatic asy¬ 
lums are being emptied, the churches and colleges are being 
filled. Also, the streets are not so full of dirty and ragged 
and hungry children. More little coats and dresses, more 
little hats and shoes, more flour and meat, more vegetables 
and fruits are being bought and paid for. More money goes 
into the hands of the wife and more into the safe of the 
banker. All kinds of proper businesses have been benefitted 
—even the vineyards are paying better. Then, best of all, 
the mother and children no longer dread the evening return 
of a demonized husband and father; but are so glad to wel¬ 
come daddy home with money in his pocket, love in his 
heart, kindness in his eye, and a smile upon his honest and 
cheerful face. Now there are plenty and playing, singing and 
saving in millions of homes where formerly there were pov¬ 
erty and profanity, quarreling and fighting. Now no one 


The Signs of the Times 


225 


longs for the resurrection of John Barleycorn but brewers 
and distillers, drunkards and whoremongers, papist priests 
and the demons of perdition. 

This is becoming a saner, and safer, and happier world 
to dwell in; for the saloons are closed, the slums are drying 
up, and the dens of sin are passing away. Already there 
is the dawn of a better day for humanity. And in these 
great reform movements, the world can never forget Miss 
Frances E. Willard and the W.C.T.U. Their faith and 
courage faced all difficulties and dangers. They were in 
labors more abundant and their prayers and perseverance 
have prevailed to the good of man and the glory of God. 

WOMAN SUFFRAGE 

“And the Lord said, It is not good that the man should 
be alone; I will make him an helpmeet for him.”—Gen. 2:18. 
For at the naming of the animals, “there was not found an 
helpmeet for him” No doubt Adam himself realized that 
while he had a physical nature in common with certain 
species, he also had a spiritual nature in common with the 
angels. Further, Adam certainly discerned that he had 
been created in the “image” and “likeness” of God and 
that he was vastly superior to all other mundane forms of 
life. 

Accordingly, our beautiful mother Eve was made out 
of a rib taken from the side of man and not out of a part 
taken from his head or from his foot. This shows that 
the woman is neither the ruler nor the slave; but that she is 
the equal and peer, the helpmeet and companion. Woman 
is God’s greatest and best gift. Moreover, the Creator did 
not wait millions of years for the rib to evolve into a fine 
lady and thus keep the bridegroom waiting long ages for his 
bride. Nay, verily, Eve was made in a moment by the 
fiat of the Almighty Himself, and He performed the mar¬ 
riage ceremony amid the fragrant decorations and charming 
scenery of the Garden of Eden. Then He made them one, 
which means that they were co-ordinated equalities. 

At last, after woman’s rights have been ignored for long 
centuries, she is winning her proper place. Especially in 


226 


The World Program 


heathen countries man has been a cruel despot. But the 
dark places are being illuminated and our sisters are being 
liberated—no longer to be the slaves of their lords and 
masters. A Christian civilization is permeating humanity 
and innate Scriptural rights are being asserted and recog¬ 
nized. It is to the honor of America that our country was 
the first to grant, in any large degree, woman’s equality, 
not only in the home, but also in the Church and State. Our 
Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution is the Charter 
of Woman’s Rights. 

Our Sisters voted at the last presidential election, and 
now both in our Congress and in the British Parliament, 
there are women members. 

Indeed, the British Empire is feeling the effects of our 
just and liberal legislation. Even Oxford University in 
England has opened her classic halls to young lady students. 
Truly, the world is moving upward towards liberty and en¬ 
lightenment, truth and righteousness, and, therefore, to¬ 
wards God. The world has been redeemed, and is making 
progress not only in science, but also in sociology—in all 
the higher and more sacred elements of a Christian civil¬ 
ization. 

The Holy Scriptures are being fulfilled and woman is 
taking her proper place as the helpmeet of man. ‘‘This 
word "meet’ means ‘suitable’ or ‘adapted to.’ ” “Man will 
find help from that which is in harmony with his own nature, 
and, therefore, able adequately, to sympathize with him in 
thought and interest. It is not identity, but harmony, which 
is suggested.” “Women” have been called “the poetry of 
the world in the same sense in which the stars are the poetry 
of the heavens.” The dear wife may not be so imposing 
in physique, but the Heavenly Father has been more liberal 
to her in grace of person and in mental intuition. 

Undoubtedly, her emancipation marks a new era in the 
heavenward march of human progress. The Golden Age is 
coming; for woman will be found equal to her larger spheres 
of usefulness and her new responsibilities. She will be 
faithful to her sacred trust for the elevation and purifica- 


The Signs of the Times 


227 


tion of the race. Naturally and instinctively, intuitively, she 
will defend the unity and sanctity of the Home; for that 
is her own realm where she reigns as queen. There center 
wife-love and mother-love. These are the tenderest and 
strongest ties, and they bind together the family circle which 
is God’s unit. How affectionately and carefully will the 
mother guard the honor and welfare of all her loved ones! 
Since God has put a sceptre into her hand, she will demand 
a better world through better legislation and better en¬ 
forcement of law. 

Even the Church has been slow to discern the Divine 
possibilities in our sisters for extending the Kingdom of 
God. The Salvation Army has given us all a fine object 
lesson on this subject. Mrs. General Booth in prayer, in 
speech and in writing manifested surpassing ability. I once 
heard Miss Booth give a remarkably able and spiritually il¬ 
luminated address on Holiness. It must be granted that the 
highly gifted and consecrated lassies of the Salvation Army, 
have won with rare courage and tact, with prevailing prayer 
and testimony many a hard fought fight on street corner 
and in park with sin in its most vicious forms. The world 
over, woman has given her full share in self-sacrifice and 
heroic deeds—has contributed largely to the blessed triumphs 
of Christianity. To the credit of our dear sisters, it must 
be remembered that while only one apostle, John, stood by 
the cross of our dying Saviour, three or four women were 
present with their loving ministries. 

Long ago theatre managers recognized the attractive 
and persuasive powers of women and gave them first places 
in their gay and grand entertainments. It is high time that 
the Church honored their gifts and graces; for they have 
superior endowments for blessed evangelism. “The Lord 
giveth the Word: The women that publish the tidings are a 
great host.”—Ps. 68:11, R. V. A mighty work is before 
the Church—the conversion of the world—and all available 
agencies should be marshalled under the banner of our 
Blessed Lord. Let men and women and even children be 
enlisted in the Army of the Church militant, and let us all 


228 


The World Program 


go forth with song and sermon, with prayer and testimony 
to bring the world to the feet of the Saviour, who is the 
only Physician who can heal the sore diseases of sin-sick 
humanity. There is already the dawn of the brighter day. 

Arise, dear Sisters, be enthroned: 

Let vice no longer be condoned. 

Let love and gladness rule the Home, 

That hopeful sons no longer roam. 

Then will our land show all the world, 

A Standard white and clean unfurled. 


THE GROWTH OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL 

CHURCH 


The Minutes of the first 
held in Saint George’s Chapel 
adelphia, July 14-16, 1773. 
present, all from England: 

“Thomas Rankin 
Francis Asbury 
Richard Boardman 
Joseph Pilmoor 
Richard Wright 


Conference show that it was 
in North Fourth Street, Phil- 
“There were ten preachers 

Capt. Thomas Webb 
George Shad ford 
John King 
Abraham Whitworth 
Joseph Terbey.” 


It was asked: “What number are there in the society ?” 


“Answer 


New York 

180 

Philadelphia 

180 

New Jersey 

200 

Maryland 

500 

Virginia 

100 


1,160 


These Statistics are from the New York Christian Ad¬ 
vocate, July 12, 1923. 

Only 150 years ago these godly men, fewer in number 
than the original apostolic company, went forth in the name 
of the Lord to evangelize, what was then, the great wilder¬ 
ness of North America—and see what God has wrought. 
The Annual Revival Services in school houses and small 



The Signs of the Times 


229 


Churches, and great Camp Meetings in the Groves where 
the terrors of the law and the glories of the Gospel were 
faithfully and powerfully proclaimed—these were the prime 
factors in the moral and spiritual regeneration of this con¬ 
tinent. 

The fearless and faithful heralds of the cross told the 
people of Satan and the Saviour, of sin and salvation, of 
Hell and Heaven. By song and prayer, by testimony and 
exhortation, by private conversation and public proclamation, 
perishing souls were brought to the Saviour. These evan¬ 
gelists preached the whole Gospel from the whole Bible, 
and, of course, sinners were converted and saints were sanc¬ 
tified. The Sabbaths were high days in Zion—long to be 
remembered—for there was “the shout of a King” in the 
camp. From these vast grove assemblies, many returned 
to their homes in newness of life, and many with “Holiness 
to the Lord” as their life motto. They loved the inspired 
Word of God and fed upon it and grew up into strong and 
blessed spiritual maturity. “There were giants in those days” 
in both pulpits and pews. The “truth as it is in Jesus” made 
them free—made them faithful, intelligent and useful 
Christians. It is hoped and believed that the Church will 
never lose its ancient zeal for Evangelism. 

According to latest statistics, American Methodism has 
8,540,354 members ; 46,424 Ministers ; 30,085 Lay Preachers; 
68,109 Sunday Schools; 7,348,824 Sunday School Scholars. 
According to the Federal Council of Churches, Methodism, 
including both members and adherents, has a total constit¬ 
uency of 23,253,854, which is larger than that of any other 
denomination, Protestant or Papist. See the Christian Wit¬ 
ness, Aug. 2, 1923. When we remember that these marvel¬ 
lous results had their origin in a Conference of Ten Preach¬ 
ers in 1773, in a little chapel in Philadelphia, we are lost in 
wonder, love and praise to our Heavenly Father. The Church 
may well sing the grand old long metre doxology: 

“Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; 

Praise Him all creatures here below; 

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host, 

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.” 


230 


The World Program 


Though the Centenary Fund has not reached the desired 
goal, yet during the three years from June 1, 1919, to May 
31, 1922, there has been paid in a grand total of $45,243,- 
385.46. The Annual Report of the Woman’s Home Mis¬ 
sionary Society for the year ending July 31, 1922, gives 
as total receipts, $2,838,818.28. The Woman’s Foreign Mis¬ 
sionary Society in its last Annual Report gives as total re¬ 
ceipts for the year, $2,255,740.88. Mention should be made 
of our Church property, which is $51,833,070. 

Recently the Methodist Episcopal Church has greatly 
increased her activities, and mention might be made of her 
many and varied publications, such as Church Papers, Sun¬ 
day School literature and magazines. Also, the Church is 
engaged in Deaconess work, Hospital work and various phi¬ 
lanthropies. Indeed, to describe all her undertakings of a 
social and educational, of a moral and spiritual nature would 
require volumes. But one thing is evident—Christianity is 
widening her boundaries and is marching on for the con¬ 
quest of the world in the name of her Blessed Lord and 
Saviour. 

By a threefold title we belong to God. He created us in 
His own image and likeness , in the beautiful Garden of 
Eden; then, after the sad Fall of Adam and Eve, He re¬ 
deemed us from sin, and death, and hell, by the “unspeak¬ 
able Gift” of His Well-beloved Son, who gave His most 
precious blood for our salvation; and, moreover, He be¬ 
stows upon us His Holy Spirit for our regeneration and 
sanctification; then at last, He opens the very gates of Hea¬ 
ven to all true believers. Today, as never before the Jew and 
the Gentile are lifting wondering and longing eyes to their 
glorified Messiah. The Church may well rejoice in a free, 
and full, and a present salvation. 

THE CENTENARY MOVEMENT 

The Methodist Episcopal Church recently undertook to 
raise over $100,000,000 for the consolidation and extension 
of our vast missionary enterprises, and the Churches prompt¬ 
ly pledged the amount requested. In the past history of the 
Church, has there ever been laid upon the altar of the Lord 
such an offering for the conversion of the world? 


The Signs of the Times 


231 


And now, what do the national representatives of Meth¬ 
odism think about worldwide evangelism, and especially at 
the present time? The centenary authorities certainly pub¬ 
lished a fine lot of literature, to enlighten the congregations 
and to cheer the heart of all lovers of Zion, concerning the 
true doctrine of the Millennium. The following concise 
and inspiring statements by Christian men of world vision 
are quoted: 

THE OPINION OF CHURCH LEADERS 

“The signs of the times, the lessons of the past, the in¬ 
dications of the future, the call of Providence, and the voices 
which come borne to us by every breeze, and from every 
nation under heaven, all alike bid us lay our plans on a scale 
worthy of men who expect to conquer a world.”—Bishop 
James M. Thoburn. 

“We belong to another alliance, a spiritual alliance which 
is fighting another kind of Kaiser; fighting to make spiritual 
democracy prevalent throughout the world.”—Philip S. 
S. Yu. 

“The awful war, madly begun and brutally prosecuted 
by the Central Powers, means the destruction of men and 
means and equipment on a larger scale than the world has 
ever known before. To the Christian Church belongs the 
work of reconstruction, so that out of the old may come a 
new world-brotherhood. If we wait until the war be over, 
it will be too late to meet this great responsibility. We must 
prepare now.”—Bishop William Burt. 

“The Centenary is clearly a providential movement. The 
world situation demands a new sense of God, increased em¬ 
phasis upon prayer, a new and larger realization of steward¬ 
ship, and the unloosening of spiritual forces beyond anything 
yet known in ‘modern missions.’ ”—Bishop Walter R. Lam- 
buth, M. E. Church, South. 

“I believe in this movement first, because it was born 
in the spirit of prayer, and every advanced step has been 
accompanied by this attitude of intercessory prayer. That 
is the chief hope of it. 


.232 


The World Program 


“I believe in it also, because it is associated so closely 
with this new and perfectly splendid movement for the 
acknowledgment of Christian stewardship on the part of 
Christian men and women everywhere. Then it has in it 
that absolutely essential thing, the attitude of sacrificial 
giving and sacrificial service. How can it be otherwise just 
now? The world is full of sacrifices.”—Bishop Joseph F. 
Berry. 

“Unless we plan now, and plan in the large, we shall be 
unprepared for the tremendous responsibility that will be 
thrust upon the Church in the period of reconstruction. 
Methodism has never faltered in times of great crises, and 
with utter devotion to the new task, by the help of God, 
she will measure up to all reasonable demands that are 
made upon her.”—Bishop A. W. Leonard. 

“If the world is to be rebuilt on the basis of the principles 
and ideals of the democracy of Jesus Christ the Christian 
Church must meet the challenge: this is the heart of the 
Centenary movement.”—Bishop Wilbur P. Thirkield. 

“What is absolutely fundamental to the Centenary is the 
campaign to release the spiritual life of the Church. The 
whole program must be based on prayer. So far as my 
knowledge goes there never has been organized, in any 
communion on the same scale, an attempt to call out prayer 
helpers such as is included in our campaign.”—Dr. W. E. 
Doughty. 

“The Centenary program of American Methodism is the 
most heartening thing that has been laid out by the church 
in fifty years. This program is a program of triumph. 
The world is going to be won in the next generation regard¬ 
less of the cost. A redeemed world is now within the grasp 
of faith.”—Bishop W. W. Ainsworth, M. E. Church, South. 

“If half of the zeal and passion, half of the outpouring 
of life and treasure, of organization and efficiency, that the 
state has put into this war could be thrown into the cause 
of the Kingdom and of the eternal verities, the world would 
soon be won.”—Admiral Sir David Beatty, Commander of 
the British Fleet. 


The Signs of the Times 


233 


“As we face a new century, we literally stand in the pres¬ 
ence of a new human world. A world sorely needing many 
things. But needing nothing else so much as it needs Jesus 
Christ. He is the supreme necessity of this world.” 
—Bishop William F. McDowell. 

“Never were people anywhere so pleasure mad as were 
the people of the United States before the war broke out. 
Can we do anything better, in the surging return of the 
pleasure lust after this war, than to place upon our people 
a burden that will steady them?”—Bishop E. H. Hughes. 

“These ten republics of South America are constantly 
being thrown into the arms of the United States. Every 
one of them has learned the alphabet of their political ideas 
from this country. 

“There you have a great tremendous body of vast com¬ 
mercial wealth with close relationship. What more than 
this? Just exactly what our young friend Mr. Yu, the 
Chinese man, said: ‘What we want is a world alliance for 
the creation of a spiritual democracy that shall be utterly 
antagonistic to all military ideas, which shall win people by a 
large self-forgetfulness, and which shall be shot through 
with altruism.’ ”—Bishop W. F. Oldham. 

The Centenary movement has been an inspiration to the 
church. Everywhere are proofs that the world is entering 
upon a new era of prosperity and brotherly-kindness. The 
leading statesmen of the Great World Powers are holding 
Peace Conferences. No longer will rulers regard Carnegie’s 
gifts—$1,750,000 for a Peace Temple and $10,000,000 for 
the Hague Peace Conference—as simply Utopian dreams. 
It may be said that the United States, Great Britain, France, 
and Japan are considering a Federation of Nations that will 
greatly reduce armies and navies, and eventually establish 
universal peace. Is it not time for rational beings to abolish 
militarism, which is simply murderous barbarism? That 
military men wear weapons of slaughter at state and social 
functions, is an affront to our civilization. Let painted 


234 


The World Program 


savages carry sharpened swords. Soon may the dreadful 
shouts of war give place to the song of the angels: “Glory 
to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward 
men.”—Luke 2:14. 

At last the principles of the Reformation are emancipat¬ 
ing the Latin peoples. France is in constant conflict with 
the abominable Papacy. This former “Eldest Son of the 
Church” must realize that a degraded priesthood has been 
her greatest calamity. Even priest-ridden Spain, long the 
home of the Inquisition, that most inhuman and diabolical 
institution, is hoping for religious liberty—for the much 
needed separation of Church and State. Portugal also is 
breaking her chains of mental and moral bondage, and has 
proclaimed herself a Republic. These reforms will bring 
untold good to the family, the civic institutions, the educa¬ 
tional and moral interests, and the religious life of the 
whole southwestern part of Europe. Henceforth the home 
will be more united and purified, the state enlightened, ele¬ 
vated and delivered from the domination of idle and ig¬ 
norant clerical bachelors. Babylon is falling and the King¬ 
dom of God is extending. To Protestantism it may well be 
said: “Arise, shine; for thy light has come, and the glory 
of the Lord is risen upon thee.”—Is. 60:1. All lovers of 
God and humanity should give thanks for the hopeful signs 
of the times. They unmistakably proclaim that mankind 
is getting tired of sin, shame, and sorrow—tired of being 
led captive by the devil at his will, and longs to enter God’s 
Kingdom of “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy 
Ghost.” If during the last hundred years, the above men¬ 
tioned wonderful educational, moral, civil and religious 
advancement has been made, what may Christians not expect 
to witness during the next century, concerning the evangel¬ 
ization of the human family? The conversion of the race 
is becoming more and more possible and probable every 
day. There is hope for humanity; let all Christians take 
courage and work and pray for the beginning of the Spirit¬ 
ual reign of Christ and His martyrs in the world—for the 
beginning of the Happy Millennial Era—the Golden Age of 
the World. 


The Signs of the Times 


235 


IN CONCLUSION 

Mr. Wesley Was a Postmillennialist 

There has been some confusion, and, it may be, some 
misrepresentation, concerning Mr. Wesley’s opinion in refer¬ 
ence to the Second Advent. But there is no need for doubt; 
for he has left unequivocal testimony in his Sermons and 
his Notes on the New Testament, which are among the 
Standards of Methodist doctrine, and which contain his 
formal statements on this subject. To show that he was a 
Postmillennialist, we quote the following passages of Scrip¬ 
ture with his notes thereon— 

Matt. 13:31: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain 
of mustard seed.” Mr. Wesley in his note calls the “King¬ 
dom of Heaven” “Both the Gospel Dispensation, and the 
inward Kingdom.” He believed that the Kingdom of 
Heaven was the Gospel and was in the heart of the believer. 
—Matt. 13:33: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like leaven 
. . . till the whole was leavened.” Note—“Thus will the 
Gospel leaven the world and grace the Christian.” 

Matt. 16:28: “Verily I say unto you, there be some 
standing here, who shall not taste of death, till they see the 
Son of Man coming in His Kingdom.” Note—“And as an 
emblem of this, there are some here who shall live to see 
the Messiah coming to set up His Mediatorial Kingdom, 
with great power and glory, by the increase of His Church, 
and the destruction of the temple, city, and polity of the 
Jews.” 

Mark 1:14, 15: “Jesus came into Galilee, preaching 
the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, and saying, The Time 
is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand.” Note— 
“The time of my Kingdom, foretold by Daniel, expected by 
you, is fully come.” 

Mark 9:1: “Verily I say unto you, there are some of 
them that stand here, who shall not taste of death till they 
see the Kingdom of God come with power.” Note—“So it 
began to do at the Day of Pentecost, when three thousand 
were converted to God at once.” 


236 


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Luke 17:20: “The Kingdom of God cometh not with 
observation.” Note—“With such outward pomp as draws 
the observation of every one.” 

Luke 17:21: “For behold the Kingdom of God is within 
you.” Note—“Look not for it in distant times or remote 
places : it is now in the midst of you: it is come: it is pres¬ 
ent in the soul of every true believer. It is a spiritual King¬ 
dom, an internal principle. Wherever it exists, it exists in the 
heart.” 

Acts 28:23: “There came many to him into his lodging; 
to whom he expounded and testified the Kingdom of God, 
persuading them concerning Jesus.” Note—“1. That the 
Kingdom of the Messiah was of a spiritual, not temporal 
nature: 2. That Jesus of Nazareth was the very Person 
foretold, as the Lord of that Kingdom.” 

1 John 2:18: “Little children, it is the last time: and 
as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are 
there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the 
last time.” Note—“The last dispensation of grace, that 
which is to continue to the end of time, is begun.” 

Rev. 20:12: “And I saw the dead small and great stand 
before God; and the books were opened: and another book 
was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were 
judged out of those things which were written in the books, 
according to their works.” Note—“Of every age and con¬ 
dition. This includes all those who undergo a change equiv¬ 
alent to death.”—1 Cor. 15:51.”* 

Above are ten quotations from the New Testament, which 
are accompanied with Mr. Wesley’s Notes thereon; and 
these notes prove beyond question that the founder of Meth¬ 
odism believed that the Kingdom of God is the present 
Gospel Dispensation, is a spiritual power in the soul, is 
destined to leaven the whole world, was set up when the 
Jewish polity passed away, was founded, as foretold by 
Daniel, in the days of the Caesars, was established on earth 
on the Day of Pentecost, is not accompanied by outward 

*The reader is referred to a Tract, published by Rev. Charles 
Munger, and entitled, “Was Wesley a Premillennialist?” Boston 
and Chicago. The Christian Witness Co. 



The Signs of the Times 


237 


pomp, is now present in the heart of every believer, and is 
spiritual, and not temporal, in its nature. He taught that we 
are living in the Last Dispensation, and that there will be one 
great Judgment Day for all, good and bad—for the then- 
living as well as the dead. On these eschatological matters 
Methodism has followed the able and wise lead of its 
founder, and Methodist ministers have done an important 
service to the Churches by faithfully warning people against 
the vagaries and delusions of Premillennialism. 

Let the Church Rejoice, for the World is Her 
Promised Inheritance 

Christians may well take courage; the world is growing 
in grace, revivals are arousing the Churches to more zealous 
efforts for the glory of God and the salvation of men, and 
missionaries are going to the ends of the earth with the good 
tidings. On the other hand the forces of evil are waver¬ 
ing, the rusty chains of despotism breaking, and liberty and 
righteousness putting on their beautiful garments. Surely 
the day of tyranny and corruption in both Church and State 
seems to be passing away. Common honesty is taking her 
place of authority in Chambers of Commerce, even-handed 
justice has entered our courts of law, and patriotism is find¬ 
ing her way into the halls of legislation. A righteous indig¬ 
nation, growing out of an enlightened public sentiment, has 
uttered powerful denunciations against wrong-doing in the 
high places of finance and politics, and condign punishment 
is overtaking transgressors everywhere. 

But best of all, the Holy Spirit has been poured out most 
graciously on the rising generation, on the rulers of nations, 
and on the Churches of Christendom. Also, hosts of evan¬ 
gelists are abroad in the earth—men and women that are 
truly consecrated to the work of God. This recent increase 
in the number of revivalists and missionaries is one of the 
most hopeful signs of the times. 

It is true that recently the Church has been annoyed by 
much gratuitous pedantry, and in the domain of science, 
insane agnosticism has tried to revive the old heathen ma¬ 
terialism of Greece, and has labored wildly to give scientific 


238 


The World Program 


significance to irrational suppositions that never could attain 
even to the status of hypotheses. But the glorious Gospel of 
the grace of God with its scientifically attested facts, its 
rigidly logical processes of thought, and its clear philosophi¬ 
cal contentions of normal minds, leads seekers after truth 
up to the unity of the universe in the One Supreme Being 
who is infinite in power, wisdom, and goodness. As the 
Revealed Word permeates and illuminates, regenerates and 
glorifies our redeemed humanity, the great verities of our 
Holy Christianity will command the confidence and venera¬ 
tion of all cultured and thoughtful minds. Then knowledge 
and piety will sit together at the feet of the Divine Master, 
learning from scientific, philosophical and revealed truth. 

In the presence of the vast possibilities and responsibilities 
of our day, let the Church arise and gird herself for Holy 
War on blind unbelief and uprighteousness, on ignorance of 
science and hypocrisy in religion, on selfishness, superstition, 
and infidelity: for Satan is still at large getting up this “new 
religion” and that “new Christianity” and reviving his old 
sham-science explanations of the Cosmos. To meet the needs 
of the hour the Church must abound in liberality and knowl¬ 
edge; must provide evangelists, preachers and teachers; 
must give herself to prayer, the study of the Holy Scrip¬ 
tures, and world-wide evangelism; that great revivals may 
bless not only Australia, Wales, and Korea, but that Europe, 
Asia, Africa, North and South America, and the islands of 
the sea may “behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the 
sin of the world.”—Jno 1 :29. 

“The World for Christ in This Generation” 

It is the great duty of the Christian Church to pray that 
our Heavenly Father, for the sake of our Blessed Lord and 
Saviour, would speedily send His angel to bind and imprison 
Satan, and would pour out abundantly His Holy Spirit 
upon the Church and the world. Then the Church might 
say: “Let us go up at once and possess it: for we are 
well able to overcome it.”—Num. 13:30. 

It was predicted by Daniel that the Papacy would try 
to “wear out the saints of the Most High.” But Heaven’s 


The Signs of the Times 


239 


decree has gone forth that—“The Kingdoms and dominion, 
and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole heaven, 
shall be given to the saints of the Most High, whose King¬ 
dom is an everlasting Kingdom, and all dominions shall 
serve and obey him.” Daniel’s definite statement is that this 
glorious Kingdom “shall be given to the saints of the Most 
High.” The wicked have had their four kingdom failures, 
and now the righteous, Satan being bound and the Holy 
Spirit being poured out—now the righteous will “be given” 
supremacy in all afifairs of both Church and State to the 
end of time in a Spiritual Kingdom that shall never end. 
For “the saints of the Most High shall take the Kingdom, 
and possess the Kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.” 
—Dan. 7 :18. The children of God “shall take” and “possess 
the Kingdom” in the name of the Lord. Thus the Fifth 
Kingdom, which is now established in the hearts of all true 
believers, will remain so established throughout all eternity. 
Is it not a blessed and glorious thought? 


Conquering Christianity 

Dear pessimistic brother, 

Of gloomy thoughts and fears, 

No longer be a doubter: 

The Gospel triumph nears. 

Now let agnostics, hating 
The Gospel Word unfurl’d, 

Just cease all their berating 

The Church that saves the world. 

While Christ’s enthroned in Heaven 
His Spirit here prevails: 

His truth the world will leaven, 
Though hellish host assails. 


240 


The World Program 


The morning light is breaking, 

O’er all the eastern sky; 

The heathen gods are quaking; 

The reign of truth is nigh. 

Behold the nations waking, 

An angel Satan binds; 

And Holy Ghost descending, 

As Earth salvation finds. 

The blessed Kingdom, glorious, 

Of peace and joy has come. 

The Spirit reigns victorious: 

His will on Earth is done. 

Conquering Christianity is Ever on the March for 

World-Wide Empire 

To Thee, One Holy God in Persons Three, 
Eternal, blessed, glorious mystery; 

Let worship, adoration, praise be given, 

Both now and evermore in earth and Heaven. 

“Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy 
Ghost; 

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, 
World without end. Amen.” 


Finis. 



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